...comply with antidiscrimination legislation, the EEOC was established to monitor employers’ actions. Thereby requiring effective management to have the knowledge of the legal aspects of employment relationships. Sexual harassment is an area of particularly important to managers and supervisors. Sexual harassment can occur between a boss and subordinate, which can affect working conditions. Managers should make an extensive effort to ensure that both male and female employees are free from all forms of sexually harassing conduct. Differences of all sorts among people are ubiquitous in the workforce. Discrimination remains a concern as the U.S. workforce becomes more diverse, managers need to leverage these differences because they can be the source of organizational strength. Introduction Sexual harassment comes is displayed in several forms the in workplace. What didn’t seem to be sexual harassment in the past has turned into a full blown court case. The different forms are sexual, quid pro quo, and hostile work environment. Some people don’t understand how simple actions can find themselves accused of quid pro quo. Sexual Harassment: A Frank Discussion What is Quid pro quo? Quid pro quo harassment is the most commonly recognized form of sexual harassment. In Latin the term means “this for...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreement: Pros and Cons Esosa Dickey Organizational Behavior/520 April 13, 2012 Dr. Lila Jordan Consensual Relationship Agreements: Pros and Cons Avoiding the mixture of business and pleasure has been an age-old mantra in which many have sworn by. Yet, in today’s workplace, there are many who have made the decision to pursue and maintain interoffice relationships. This is likely attributed to the record number of working women currently in the workforce, high divorce rates, longer working hours and increased dedication to the job. Across nearly every industry and organization, corporate will has attempted to minimize the inevitable wave of affection and affairs by means of frowning upon its existence, legislating, transferring, firing and revising handbooks and company policies (Sills, 2008). Why? Possibly to avoid major disruption in the workplace related to social, professional and financial conflicts. As a result, several companies have developed consensual relationship agreements (CRAs). Hellreigel & Slocum (2011) define CRAs as written contracts in which involved parties acknowledge their relationship as voluntary and consensual, agree to abide by workplace policies, and agree to avoid behaviors that could potentially offend or influence each other or fellow employees. The benefits and ramifications of implementing such an agreement have been highly debated by both employees...
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...1. I chose to read about sexual assault and how alcohol and perceived vulnerability had an effect on it. The following research was a great example to show how much each of these effect the sexual assault rates. It was recently done in 2014, and it observed a group Scottish college students. The report supports a lot of research already done. Everyone knows that alcohol and sex do not go good together, since you cannot give consent. In the research they sent out a survey to about 7,200 college students. The survey included scales of personal sexual harassment and assault. Also, it included how their friends are vulnerable to sexual assault and had an AUDIT at the end. The AUDIT means Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. The study was...
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...and a U.S Military member will be familiar with the term PDA or Public Display of Affection. Regardless of which sector a person is employed, they may be subject to a company's policy on dating or consensually becoming involved in romantic relationships with other employees in their workplace. We can best define CRA's as a document, presented by human resources, and signed voluntarily by both employees, acknowledging a "consensual" relationship. This contract is to specifically state in writing, that a romantic relationship will not interfere with job performance, and reiterates the principles of the company's harassment policy. The agreement will require arbitration rather than a harassment grievance if for any reason the relationship ends, which protects the employer of any liability of any claim being presented at a later date, for unwelcomed sexual harassment. "According to a 2007 study by SnagAJob.com, 72% of men and 60% of women are interested in a coworker" (Delman 2012). A civil service employee working in a government position is subject to a "just cause" termination policy and human resource leaders must present any no dating policy with great care. Most employees in the government sector are...
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...NOVEMBER 23 , 2011 | [pic] |ATTORNEY JOHN WASHINGTON | |BUL 5323 – BUSINESS LAW | Introduction Ever since its declaration in 1993 under President Bill Clinton’s administration, don’t ask, don’t tell (DADT) has been a major dispute amongst the United States citizens; especially those involved in the U.S. Military. Questions such as: “Is it even constitutional?” and “What are the pros and cons?” and “Should the policy be repealed?” have been propound. Subsequent to all of the questioning, viewed opinions and assessments, this subject generally falls into three perspectives: the permissive, the restrictive and the prohibitive. This paper...
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...in his/her position.) * What is the main problem(s) or opportunity(s) that you (as the decision maker) must deal with? * Why this issue is important and how urgent is it? * Provide any sub-issues that are relevant to the case. * Who are the key people and/or groups that you need to consider in solving the problem/opportunity?The decision maker is Dov CharneyMain Problem: American apparel is struggling to find synchronization between their corporate social responsibilities including pro labour practices, domestic manufacturing suppliers, sweat shop free policies, environmentally friendly materials and their increasingly controversial advertising strategies. The issue is important because the company is facing a lot of criticism and controversies and are also at the urge of losing investors. The problem should be solved as soon as possible to keep the company running with a profit.Sub issues: * Bad marketing strategy, took sexual appeal really far * $250 million sexual harassment lawsuit * Challenges repaying debts * On the brink of a collapseKey people: Dov charney, management, stakeholders( customers, investors) | Atiya khan-American apparel B. Key Facts of the Case (relevant facts only, no analysis) - 10 Marks | * Provide the relevant background that led to the problem/opportunity(s). * Provide any additional case information that provides context to the problem or opportunity. * 1998 American apparel was launched...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRAs) are one of the policies that protect the company and the parties involved from the outcome of the relationship ending that could result into sexual harassment claims or bad publicity. There are pros and cons to having these policies and procedures for protection of employers and employees. Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Eighty percent of an individual’s life is spent at their place of employment, sometimes even more. Usually they are in the presence of their co-workers at a minimum of 40 hours a week, learning, growing and building relationships. It is a strong possibility that one could turn into a romantic one. Hellriegel and Solcum (2011) stated that Valut.com, an online career center, surveyed 1000 professionals about having a romantic relationship with a co-worker, with the results of 19% would consider having one and 47% had been involved in one. The relationship may start out rosy but circumstances could change the dynamics between the two that could affect their work and the workplace environment. Employers must protect their businesses as well as maintain a productive, comfortable work environment as this “issue is not going away” (Hellriegel & Solcum, 2011). In order to protect themselves from possible claims of sexual harassment, disruptions in employee morale and conflict that can potentially result from a romantic relationship,...
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...instead of stopping it there should be some policies and procedures in place to address the issue when it occurs ( Losee & Olen, 2007). One policy that can be adopted is the consensual relationship agreement (CRA). A CRA often called love contracts it is a written contract between both parties that helps address some of the issues that office romance often creates. Office romance can end in a happy ending but they can also end in a sour note and in order for the employer to protect themselves using a CRA would be something to consider. In this paper i will discuss the pros and cons of using CRAs and give an alternative to address office romance as well as the ethics of using CRAs to address workplace romance. It is often troublesome to deal with a relationship that just ended, it is harder to deal with it when both parties work for the same company. When workplace romance goes sour it can lead to accusation of harassment, favoritism, lost productivity and poor morale ( Hellriegel / Slocum, p.65) . It is...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements (Case Study) Dr. Tameria Vickerson Business 520 – Leadership And Organizational Behavior January 27, 2013 Strayer University Abstract The focus of this paper is to outline the pros and cons, explain, and explore the ethical issues of a Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRAs) between coworkers, corporate vice-presidents, executives, and/or managers in the workplace. It will present arguments for and against the use of CRAs in the workplace by analyzing the relationships between the basic organizational behavior models of individual groups and organizational processes. Additionally, this paper will discuss the ethical principles that are involved in the use of a CRA, how ethical decisions are made within an organization as it pertains to a CRA, and how these relationships impact and/or affect productivity. Finally, it will explore other options that would address the issue of workplace romance (Don Hellriegel & John W. Slocum, Jr., 2011). Keywords: Consensual Relationship Agreements, CRA(s) CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENTS (CASE STUDY) Discussion What is a Consensual Relationship Agreement (“CRA”)? “An agreement signed by employer and employees confirming that a romantic or sexual relationship between employees is voluntary and consensual” (Don Hellriegel & John W. Slocum, Jr., (2011). Let us face it, in today’s society; the majority of us spend most of our waking hours during the week, and...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements Strayer University Robert Guest Dr. Larry Hughes BUS520 In many and most large organizations the possibilities of a relationship is a very real situation. Spending at least most cases 40 plus hours a week which is more than most individuals spend at home or out looking for relationships gives a person the ability to create closer relationships with the opposite sex at the work place then it would anywhere else. Because of this there have been many opinions on whether or not to make the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements a standard practice among the work place. In today’s workplaces many organizations either prohibit or sway against any romantic engagements with other employees within their workplaces however, there are other companies that tend to let it happen and look the other way. According to the Society for Human Resources Management had no policy regarding the workplace relationship (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2010). This was until the adoption of the Consensual Relationship Agreements that turned into a contract for employees to ensure they are not allowing any workplace relationships reduce the efficiency of their work and also to protect the organizations from any legal issues that may arise from the involvement of employees and the possibility of bad breakups from relationships. A Consensual Relationship Agreement is an contract between a employee and management that states that the employee will not allow...
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...If a relationship between a supervisor and a subordinate or between coworkers ends on a sour note, one of the employees may claim that it wasn’t consensual, that he was sexually harassed[->2], or that she was retaliated[->3] against if she receives a poor performance review from her former paramour. In 2008, more than 13,867 sexual harassment claims were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) [->4] Maintain an antinepotism policy promulgated antinepotism policies, which prohibit spouses or relatives from working at the same company or more typically prevent employees from supervising or directing coworkers related to them by blood or marriage. Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Question 1 Argue for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRAs) in your current (or future) workplace. Answer Stephanie Losee and Helaine Olen, authors of "Office Mate: The ..[->5] so Dating and romance in the workplace is an interesting topic that will cause quite a discussion among many professionals and their coworkers. In the book titled Office Mate: The Employee Handbook for Finding and Managing Romance on the Job, 38% of employees ages twenty- five to twenty-nine have had an office romance (Losee & Olen, 2007, p. 55). Now, many individuals view office romances as an unavoidable trend as a result of people working together that share the same common interests (Losee & Olen, 2007). However, many people wonder what can be done to decrease the problematic...
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...that said, all humans have emotional, spiritual and physical needs. Studies show, Vandewater (2012), “the number of people who have had an interoffice relationship has risen to 59 percent--with half of those respondents reporting having developed a serious, long-term relationship with a colleague.” Those same studies also report that an alarming majority of employers do not have a policy regarding workplace relationships. Riccobono (2011) stated, “While often harmless, consensual co-worker relationships can create a myriad of problems for the employees involved, their co-workers, and their employer. In addition to the obvious distractions of the romance, when the relationship sours, ends or is no longer consensual, the potential for sexual harassment, discrimination, or retaliation claims increases.” Are consensual relationship agreements (CRAs) necessary at work? Whom do they intend to protect? Are there any valid reasons why a...
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...Business Report Ideas 1. Investigate the problem of worker theft and recommend ways to decrease it. 2. Investigate the pros and cons of requiring workers to wear uniforms. 3. Report to your management what other companies are doing to increase ethics awareness among employees and recommend a course of action for your company. 4. Report on current means of reducing shoplifting and recommend which methods your store should institute. 5. Report on the challenges of an aging workforce and ways to cope with those challenges. 6. Evaluate the pros and cons of flextime and whether your company should adopt it. 7. Advise your company on developing an employee wellness program. 8. Report on the problems of sexual harassment in the workplace and design a program for preventing it. 9. Advise your company on the pros and cons of offering workers child care or elder care benefits. 10. Report on telemarketing and whether your company should use it to increase sales. 11. Show the value of and design a diversity-awareness program for your company. 12. Examine what recruiters look for in cover letters and resumes. (How are Web-based versions of these documents different from the hard-copy version? Is a resume that can be scanned the same as a Web-based version? Advise fellow students about what to do.) 13. Determine what general retirement policies your company should adopt. (Statistics show that our population is aging...
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...associated with Consensual Relationship Agreements will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs below. There are many pros for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements in the workplace. In a study by Parks in 2006, fewer than 15% of employers had a policy dealing with romance or sexual relationships in the workplace (Parks, 2006). The workplace has always been a major place for individuals to meet and learn about each other. This proximity may lead to attraction and romance, which in turn could make more problems for the organization. According to Clark (2006), “About 80% of employees may be involved in or know of a workplace romance” (p. 350). Some employers try to ward off sexual harassment charges and other problems stemming from office romances by having the employees who are romantically involved read and sign a consensual relationship agreement. According to Schwartz and Storm (2000), “A sexual harassment lawsuit can arise from either 1. A supervisor who has a habit of asking subordinates out of dates; 2. An employee who files a lawsuit after a consensual relationship goes sour; or 3. The perception of co-workers that a supervisor is playing favorites with his or her “significant other” (p. 150). Sexual harassment laws prohibit “unwelcome” sexual advances. Therefore, the participants in a truly “consensual” relationship cannot prove sexual harassment. The difficulty for the employer is proving that the relationship was consensual. Often, an employee will...
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...In this paper, Team B will be discussing the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace at Kaiser Permanente. As Kaiser is such an immense organization with an incredibly diverse staff, this is an issue that Team B believes can be improved by developing a training program and implementing it with all staff members. Assessments The first step in this process is to assess the needs of the organization and in what context the training will take place (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2007). As Kaiser is an ever-growing corporation, and the customer base is broad, training programs are inevitable. Any program implemented however, will also need the support of the department managers. Sexual harassment is a problem seen worldwide and in every organization big or small. Sexual harassment in the workplace can produce poor employee morale, low productivity, and litigation (Compliance Training Group, 2011). Fortunately, as Kaiser is such a vast corporation, they should be able to find the time and have the budget to execute a training program of this magnitude. The training needs should encompass the following: • Knowledge on state and federal laws, rules, and regulations regarding sexual harassment • Recognizing the forms and types of sexual harassment • What are the employers responsibilities in averting sexual harassment • Define the procedures in plain terms for filing a sexual harassment complaint • Ensuring a safe work environment by...
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