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By Mary Stanton Government Executive October 1, 1998
  • 24176

    I am involved in a relationship with an employee(A) in a different department but at the same worksite. My supervisor is subordinate to his supervisor. We recently informed all of our co-workers of our relationship to avoid the potential disaster of the rumor mill. Most all of the employees within the building have informed us both of their support for us. We do not engage in any romantic behavior in the workplace. We eat together and take breaks together. Recently, an employee(B) within his department has complained that I have provided food to him - prepared on my own break. "B" has complained to their mutual supervisor that she finds this offensive as well as that we engage in conversation while radomly seeing each other in different areas of the building (none of the topics of conversation are outside of what we may discuss with other employees in relationship to general conversation). His supervisor (with my supervisor in attendance) called us in a meeting and has demanded that we give the appearance as if we are not dating - specifically not to prepare food for each other and limit our conversations to not give any connotation that we are dating. Is the supervisor entitled to place this restriction on us? Note: My office consists of 7 employees - we all prepare and share food on a regular basis - so it is not an exclusive situation.

    Laura Mayhew Posted May 25, 2007 10:13 AM

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Courting Disaster
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