...Consensual Relationship Agreements: A Case Study Zachary -- Dr. Kimberly A Carter BUS520 Leadership and Organizational Behavior April 22, 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements: A Case Study Introduction A consensual relationship agreement is a written contract between coworkers used by their employer to publicly disclose a romantic relationship. The purpose of this contract is to protect the employer from future litigation in the event that the said relationship goes bad or to address office favoritism in play of a romance between superiors and subordinates. Some may argue that the agreements provide legal protection for all parties involved; others may feel that their employer has no right to meddle in their private lives. While there are alternatives to these “love contracts,” most companies do adopt some policy on workplace romances in order to abide by ethical principles and avoid costly lawsuits and hostile work environments. Arguments for consensual relationship agreements A 2004 survey by Human and Legal Resources interviewed over 1,000 workers in the United Kingdom of which 66% claimed to have participated in workplace romances (Easen, 2004), of which some have become long term relationships and even marriages. While there are many who, in attempts to keep their professional and private lives separate, choose to keep their relationships a secret from others in the workplace, in the event the relationship is revealed the couple may be asked to sign...
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...much of their time on-the-job, romantic relationships at work are developing more frequently. Workplace romance may be the only option for employees whose workload limits their outside activities; but for employers, this trend may prove problematic as the potential liability associated with these relationships rises (Wilson,Filosa, et al, 2003). Since this trend is continuing, how are employers protecting themselves as well as their employees? One type of workplace policy that is being adopted is a consensual relationship agreement (CRA). A CRA is essentially a written “contract” in which the romantically involved parties acknowledge the following: • Their relationship is voluntary and consensual. • They agree to abide by the employer’s antidiscrimination, antiharassment, and workplace conduct policies. • They promise to report any perceived harassment to management, if it occurs. • They agree to avoid behavior that offends others in the workplace. • They agree not to engage in favoritism. (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011). However, there are arguments for the use of CRA’s in the workplace, such as the use of CRA’s will decrease the risk of sexual harassment litigation and reminding dating employees of the lack of privacy in the workplace. In addition, there are arguments against the use of CRA’s , such as it will not stop employees from dating each other and intruding on the employees private lives outside of work. Therefore, this case study will explore further the arguments for...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Kelly Glover Professor John Mitchell Lithonia Campus BUS 520 – Organization and Leadership October 30, 2012 Strayer University Abstract This paper will discuss Consensual Relationship Agreements in the workplace. Within the paper, I will argue for the use of CRAs in the workplace by explaining the benefits. I will also present a counter argument against the use by explaining the cons. Ethical principles and other options are also discussed. Argue for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRAs) in your current (of future) workplace. Office romances are almost inevitable when you place people with the same interest together for more than 40 hours a week. These relationships may form between co-workers on the same level, as well as subordinate and manager. Let’s think about this. What happens if this relationship ends on bad terms? The subordinate can state that they were coerced into the relationship. This situation will definitely be a liability to company, opening it up to litigation concerning harassment. In order to mitigate this situation, it would be beneficial for a company to consider having Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRA). A CRA is a written contract in which the parties involved acknowledge that the relationship is consensual and voluntary. The parties understand that they have to remain professional and not allow the relationship...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study By: Steven D. Gehring For: Dr. Nasser Assaf Class: Bus 520: Leadership and Organizational Behavior Date: 1 August 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study P a g e | 2 “To date or not to date: that is the question: Whether it is nobler in the workplace to suffer the slings and arrows from outraged Human Resource personnel, Or to take the pen to their CRA and by signing love forever.” My apologies to William Shakespeare and his soliloquy from Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 1) but such is the state of affairs for many U.S. companies, human resource personnel and office personnel in today’s litigious world. Since of the days of World War II and later McCarthyism, women have moved into the U.S. work force in greater and greater numbers, filling positions ranging from oil field roustabout to mail room clerk to Chief Financial Officer and CEO. In the meantime, the U.S has experienced a major “sexual revolution” as well as associated changes in the attitudes affecting women in the work place. One of these is dating in the work place. Although no-dating policies are no longer the norm, the advent of anti-sexual harassment laws and the subsequent growth in the number and cost of lawsuits related to these laws, have lead the majority of companies to have in place policies that review the definition of sexual harassment, their company’s rules against it and the possible results to a person who engages in the sexual harassment...
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...Vastano Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study November 10, 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Consensual workplace agreements are being adopted by some companies it response to workplace romances. I am going to argue for the use of them and also counter against their merit. There will be a discussion of the ethics involved in their use. I also plan to give an alternative to the consensual workplace agreements. There are many reasons for using Consensual Relationship Agreements in the workplace. We will examine a few of the reasons I feel are that they are valid and have merit for use. These are protection from sexual harassment lawsuits, it will allow the inevitable workplace romance between employees, it sets boundaries for behavior at the workplace and can help with the levels of relationships if one or both move into different positions in the company. Most companies are concerned about the possibility of sexual harassment in the workplace. It is estimated that in the United States nearly 10 million workplace romances occur each year, and that nearly 40% of all employees have had one. (Pierce & Aguinis, 2009) This is of concern for the employer. Keeping the workplace romance in the open and having those involved, by signing a consensual relationship agreement, may help with a reduction of raising sexual harassment lawsuits. The agreement of the relationship may help in instances where the romance dissolves. Also if the relationship is clandestine...
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...Introduction The purpose of this project is to examine the Consensual Relationship Agreement Case Study. In developing the project, concepts will be identified in the areas of organizational behavior models of individual, group and organizational processes; how ethical decisions are made; and concepts of individual differences, personality traits, and perspectives. According to Hellriegel & Slocum (2011) the characteristics of a Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRA) is defined as being “a written “contract” in which the romantically involved parties acknowledge the following: • Their relationship is voluntary and consensual. • They agree to abide by the employer’s antidiscrimination, antiharrassment, and workplace conduct policies. • They promise to report any perceived harassment to management, if it occurs. • They agree to behave professionally and now allow the relationship to affect their performance. • They agree to avoid behavior that offends others in the workplace. • They agree not to engage in favoritism. This is especially an issue if one of the employees is in a higher management position and has the authority to influence rewards available to the other employee.” Thesis Statement: In analyzing the case, “Consensual Relationship Agreements”, the following categories will be addressed: (1) Argue for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements in your current (or future) workplace; (2) Create a counter argument against the use of CRAs in your current (or...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study In the article “Consensual Relationship Agreements” it is said that 72% of companies had no policy regarding workplace romance by referring to Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Workplace Romance Poll. In my opinion, this is an indication that CRAs are not essential instruments for arranging workplace behavior. Only a few companies implement CRAs. These companies apply for CRAs in different ways. Some companies may wish to recognize the relationship and to avoid negative consequences of it. However, some other companies concern about the maintenance of productivity and protection of the organization against any probable lawsuit. It can be considered that there is nothing to do with the ethics in applying CRAs when the companies pursue productivity and a legal self-protection. These agreements are not law and order because CRAs depend on leadership’s discretion. Making decision differs from culture to culture because of diversity and ethics. In such cases, moral intelligence plays a significant role. The leadership must observe the behavior of all the employees in regard to integrity, responsibility, compassion and forgiveness. Actually, there would not be need to implement CRAs for a successful leadership. For example, unlike the USA, in my country there are no similar examples. Instead, such problems are solved by the human resources management. In my last job, in Turkey, two of my coworkers developed a consensual relationship...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Professor: Leadership and Organizational Management January 21, 2012 The office affair can make a seducer, seductress, and sinner out of everyday common people who have even the best of intentions. In fact, research suggests that one third of all relationships begin at work. At some time during a person’s working life, chances are they will have or know someone who has been involved in a workplace romance. Often times these relationships become the object of intense gossip and counter productivity. Many times they end badly leaving inefficiency, devastation, and disruption in the workplace not to mention the personal lives of those involved. When so many waking hours are spent with people having common goals in the workplace it is understandable to see how these relationships form. In an office romance, the chance for perceptions to develop of favoritism and unfair advantages one party in the relationship has over others is high. This is especially true if the relationship is between a supervisor or manager and a subordinate. People perceive situations differently. As a previous instructor at a technical training school for military recruits I was always told actual reality is not reality…PERCEPTION IS REALITY. In the Organizational Management textbook, Jim Sinegal further discovered that “it is the perception of reality-not reality-that influences behavior”. (p. 104) This leads to one of the biggest...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Strayer University Business 520, Leadership and Organizational Behavior Author Note In today’s society, most employers antagonize significant issues such as office romances and subjects that relate to sex and confidentiality. Romantic affairs are emerging more frequently since employees are working overtime and spending additional time on the job. A romance in the workplace is sometimes the only choice for employees whose work limits their extracurricular activities. However, these workplace relationships tend to be a problem as the legal responsibility connected with these romances rises. A few businesses prohibit all workplace romances, whereas others have no policy at all to address these matters. Most businesses fall in between and have policies that ban relationships or discourage distinct workplace romances. A CRA (Consensual Relationship Agreement) is essentially a written “contract” in which the romantically involved parties acknowledge the following: * Their relationship is voluntary and consensual. * They agree to abide by the employer’s antidiscrimination, anti-harassment, and workplace conduct policies. * They promise to report any perceived harassment to a management, if it occurs. * They agree to behave professionally and not to allow the relationship to affect their performance. * They agree to avoid behavior that offends others in the workplace. * They agree not to engage in favoritism...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Leadership and Organizational, Bus 520 2012_April_22 Argue for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRA) in your current (or future) workplace. Organizational culture reflects the shared and learned values, beliefs, and attitudes of their employees. In reality, organizational culture is the personality of the organization—which sometimes is difficult to fully express in words. This is the norm for most employees in the organization, they sense it and know it is their daily behaviors. Organizational cultures may vary from having a weak ethical culture to a strong one. "Consensual relationship agreements," the legal name for the love contracts, became the office buzz word about eight years ago in the wake of former President Clinton's relationship with former-White House intern Monica Lewinsky. White House Corporate counsels grew fearful that an affair involving one of their executives could end in a big-bucks liability payout. “Consensual relationship agreements” help employers avoid legal liability if an office romance has an adverse outcome for the parties involved. This relationship is voluntarily and occasionally involuntary which brings about sexual harassment. It should be encouraged that most workers, especially senior executives, sign a "love contracts" that shield employers from liability if intimacy later congeals into a sexual harassment lawsuit or some other discord. The contracts, most common in...
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...Critics of CRAs assert that they are too intrusive, ineffective, and unnecessary and that they can cause as many problems as they solve. Identify the specifics reasons and examples that might justify these criticisms. Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRAs) are “essentially a written “contract” in which the romantically involved parties acknowledge the following: Their relationship is voluntary and consensual. They agree to abide by the employer’s antidiscrimination, anti- harassment, and workplace conduct policies. They promise to report any perceived harassment to management, if it occurs. They agree to behave professionally and not allow the relationship to affect their performance. They agree to avoid behavior that offends others in the workplace. They agree not to engage in favoritism” (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2011). The critics of consensual relationship agreements do so based on the legal ramifications as well as the possibility that the relationship itself could possibly disrupt the work environment. “A romantic relationship between a manager or supervisor and his or her subordinate may result in allegations of favoritism, with coworkers claiming that the subordinate has received preferential treatment as a result of the relationship. For example, the subordinate may receive longer breaks, be given preferred shifts or receive unfairly favorable reviews. Over time, this perception of favoritism could lower employee morale and productivity. These complaints also may...
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...job, romantic relationships at work are developing more frequently. Workplace romance may be the only option for employees whose workload limits their outside activities, but for employers, this trend may prove to be a problem as the potential liability associated with these relationships rises. Some organizations ban all workplace dating, while other employers have no policy at all to address these issues. Most organizations fall somewhere in between, with explicit or at least implicit policies that forbid or discourage certain workplace relationships. After all, with the amount of time people spend working, it’s impossible to meet people in the traditional meeting places such as church, the neighborhood, family events, and leisure time activities do not present the same kind of people. In contrast, the office provides a natural selection of people who share at least one important interest. People who work together also live within a reasonable dating distance, and share a location, so they see each other on a daily basis. Coworkers in similar jobs may also be around the same age, and share the same interests both inside and outside of work. Consensual relationship policies are an important tool in managing the risk of sexual harassment and discrimination claims. However, they must be thoughtfully created and administered with care. Before an employer asks that a couple signs a consensual relationship agreement, the employer...
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...Why do so many romantic relationships originate in the workplace? Today’s workers spend more time at work with their colleagues than they do at home with their families, friends, and significant others; the demand for meeting deadlines and handling last minute demands from clients and supervisors often come before personal activities. This growing circumstance calls for some type of system or agreement in place to account for the number of workplace romances that occur. A Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRA) can be described as a written “contract” in which the romantically involved parties acknowledge particular aspects of their relationship and ultimately state that the said relationship is both voluntary and consensual (Hellriegel/Slocum, 2011). Most jobs contain the typical window of a workday that exists from 8 AM to 5 PM five days a week; however, some jobs require their employees to come in earlier, stay later, travel, and immerse themselves in various work-related activities that will best improve the status and success of the company. With that said, these types of instances provide several opportunities for coworkers to work alongside each other for the good of the company for extended periods, as well as get to know one another with all the time spent together during work. Wilson, Filosa, and Fennel’s Privacy Project paper (2003) stated the following: “A 1998 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management predicted that 55 percent of office romances would likely...
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...Assignment 1: Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Diane Jackson Dr. Yemer, H. Leadership and Organizational Behavior - Bus 520 January 23, 2013 Consensual Relationship Agreements Argument For Workplace romances can lead to accusations of poor judgment, breaches of ethics, favoritism, lost productivity, poor employee morale, sexual harassment claims and even workplace violence. Such concern has led an increasing number of companies to institute "consensual relationship agreements," also known as "love contracts." (Kurtz, 2012) People dating each other in the workplace can wreak havoc on an organization, especially a small organization. Attitudes toward workplace romance are changing -- at least for millennial employees. A whopping 84 percent of workers ages 18-29 say they would have a romantic relationship with a co-worker, compared to just 36 percent of Generation X workers (ages 30-46) and 29 percent of Boomers (age 47-66), according to a recent Workplace Options survey. And 40 percent of Millennials say they would have no problem dating their supervisors (compared to just 10 percent of older generations). More than one-third of employees aren’t sure if there’s a company policy about dating at the office. If your business doesn't have such a policy, it’s time to consider it. Nearly half the employees surveyed say office romances are going on at work, and even if they don’t care, you need to be concerned about sexual harassment charges and complaints...
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...analysis of the Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Assignment 1 By: STUDENT NAME: Arlette Lamsa To: Dr. Evangeline Jefferson Professor: COURSE NAME: Bus 520: Leadership and organization Behavior STRAYER UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC January, 2013 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Introduction: The purpose of this project is to examine the Consensual Relationship Agreement case study. By Definition, consensual relationship Agreement indicates an agreement read and signed by both Employers and employees by highlighting and confirming an obviously romantic relationship between both parties. The use of consensual relationship Agreement policy in general at the workplace, is fundamental for the employers and also employees. In many organizations, employees are in risks of potentials sexual harassments. But inevitably, some workers engage in a romance adventure at the office. Sometimes those romances end in a not so good term with pretty bad consequences. According to Hellriegel and Slocum (2011), the characteristics of a consensual Relationship agreement is defined as contract that set boundaries on certain office romance situations. They go as the following: decreasing sexual harassment litigation risk, reducing perceptions of favoritism, creating a forum to discuss professional workplace behavior, and reminding dating employees the lack of privacy in the workplace. This is to ensure all relationships are voluntary...
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