Consensual Relationship Agreements are a form of companies trying to protect themselves from legal liability if an office relationship ends in failure. It was more or less formed in the wake of Bill Clinton's extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky (Love Contract). “ … According to one article, 58 percent of workers have dated a co-worker, 14 percent have dated a superior, and 19 percent have dated a subordinate” (Zero Tolerance) The intimacy of a relationship in a public setting like a work environment use to be a hidden affair, something that didn't garner much attention as it was normal thing.
But after the Clinton saga, things changed, litigation became a more commonplace thing and having people sign a “love contract” is more and more common. Now businesses are worried of the hidden consequences of this office romance. If the couple breaks up, it could lead to costly sexual harassment suits and one of the parties saying it was non consensual, which would be damaging to the company.
[...] Sources Molly Selvin. (02/13/2007). "Love Contract" It's Office Policy. In Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 04/21/2012, from http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb/13/business/fi-love13. Randy Sutton. (1999). Regulating Work Place Romances. In SAALFELD GRIGGS PC . Retrieved 04/21/2012, from http://www.sglaw.com/publications.php?id=36&pubtype=showarticle. [...]
[...] Consensual relationship agreements case study Consensual Relationship Agreements are a form of companies trying to protect themselves from legal liability if an office relationship ends in failure. It was more or less formed in the wake of Bill Clinton's extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky (Love Contract). “ . According to one article percent of workers have dated a co-worker percent have dated a superior, and 19 percent have dated a subordinate” (Zero Tolerance) The intimacy of a relationship in a public setting like a work environment use to be a hidden affair, something that didn't garner much attention as it was normal thing. [...]
[...] It could also mean a boss showering a subordinate with extra attention and benefits which others may see as unethical. Alternatives to this could be something as simple as a “no dating policy” within the company which would prohibit anyone from dating anyone in the office. This would keep conflicts of interest down as well as the morale of the employees. The company would have to be very specific as far as what is constituted as dating. If a male and female coworker go out to a bar after work is that considered dating? [...]
[...] No dating policies have more or less become a thing of the past and with that some relationships have come to the forefront. But along those lines sometimes relationships are still kept hidden for fear of job loss or for a number of other reasons. But with the relationship agreement in place, there is a set of rules that will be followed and with this comes a decline in the fear that once came from it. It can also make work more exciting. Using a little unprofessionalism by flirting every once in awhile livens the day up. [...]
[...] TOM KUNTZ. (02/22/2008). Word for Word / Consensual Relationship Agreements; For Water Cooler Paramours, The Ties That (Legally) Bind. In The New York Times. Retrieved 04/21/2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/22/weekinreview/word-for-word-consensual- relationship-agreements-for-water-cooler-paramours- ties.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm. Becket Gremmels. (01/2010). Zero-Tolerance for Hospital Romance?. In Virtual Mentor. Retrieved 04/21/2012, from http://virtualmentor.ama- assn.org/2010/01/ccas3-1001.html. [...]
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