Orange County Employment Lawyers

Romantic Relationships in the Workplace

People go to work to earn money, plain and simple. But along the way, while they work day in and day out, they inevitably form relationships with their colleagues. While some colleagues become enemies, many colleagues become friends. They take lunches together, talk about their families with one another, and make jokes about their bosses with one another.

Sometimes, friendships transform into something different—into romantic relationships. After spending so much time with one another, seeing so much of one another, smiling and laughing so much together, people may become romantically attracted to one another.

While no one is saying that two people should not become romantically involved, two colleagues who become romantically involved with each other need to be careful. Their romantic relationship might come into the workplace and create awkward situations for other colleagues. Or, if two colleagues end a romantic relationship, they will still have to be working together for the same company.

Other serious problems associated with romantic relationships in the workplace are favoritism and blackmail. If a superior and a subordinate are involved in a romantic relationship, people can accuse the superior of displaying favoritism if she or he promotes the subordinate. Or the subordinate, to get what he or she wants, can accuse the superior of sexual harassment if the superior does not meet some demands of the subordinate.

Speak with an Orange County Employment Attorney

If you or someone you know has had problems because of romantic relationships in the workplace, contact the Orange County employment attorneys of Perry Smith by calling 1-888-356-2529.