Western New England Law Review Volume 22 22 (2000-2001) Article 3 Issue 1 1-1-2000 LIMITED LICENSE TO FISH OFF THE COMPANY PIER: TOWARD EXPRESS EMPLOYER POLICIES ON SUPERVISOR- SUBORDINATE FRATERNIZATION Gary M. Kramer Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.law.wne.edu/lawreview Recommended Citation Gary M. Kramer, LIMITED LICENSE TO FISH OFF THE COMPANY PIER: TOWARD EXPRESS EMPLOYER POLICIES ON SUPERVISOR-SUBORDINATE FRATERNIZATION, 22 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 77 (2000), http://digitalcommons.law.wne.edu/ lawreview/vol22/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Review & Student Publications at Digital Commons @ Western New England University School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Western New England Law Review by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Western New England University School of Law. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. LIMITED LICENSE TO FISH OFF THE COMPANY PIER: TOWARD EXPRESS EMPLOYER POLICIES ON SUPERVISOR SUBORDINATE FRATERNIZATION* GARY M. KRAMER** INTRODUCTION Co-workers very often enter romantic relationships with each other.! Employers cannot effectively prohibit that, and should not try. However, certain office romances-between supervisors and subordinates who are in a direct reporting relationship or are other wise on different hierarchical levels-are particularly troublesome for the employees involved, their co-workers, and the employer. Supervisor-subordinate relationships most often trigger negative re actions among employees, including perceptions of sexual favorit ism and sexual harassment that dainage morale and productivity. In addition, such relationships frequently result in sexual harass ment litigation against the company by the participants or third parties.2 Because of the substantial risk of personnel disruption, litiga * This article was originally submitted as a research essay for a graduate-level seminar at Georgetown University Law Center.