Consensual Relationship Agreement
Ganduulga Shuree
BUS520

Strayer University - Arlington Campus
2012

What is Consensual Relationship Agreement?
August 17 of 1998 was the day that former US president Bill Clinton admitted his affair with Monika Lewinsky, who used to work in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs, in a vague way which was broadcasted on ABC News. In his speech he said “Indeed, I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible ”. It was the conclusion to the scandal which lasted over 7 months.
Romance at the workplace is common, and it is a serious concern for the employers. Those dating employees are selected from the management team to fit in and perform in that professional environment instead of combining their personal lives with the profession. One of the biggest concerns that might be followed by the sour ending of the relationship is sexual harassment lawsuit. But if they really were in a relationship it would be a different story.
For an instance, person A, who is the supervisor of person B have been dating for months. A might favor B over the rest of the employees who do have the same potential as B. B was assigned for several projects that would help her to get promoted. After a while their privacy would be revealed and all the accusations and condemnations would be thrown toward person A. It would be difficult to communicate with B who has been conducting the projects and they light fail to complete it. Now they have to put a period in their relationship whether it was true or based on favoritism. They would be assigned from their positions, or person B might start a lawsuit if there was any inappropriate relationship between the two. In either case, the employer will be the only one who is liable in the court room.
But the CRA which is commonly called “kiss and tell” policy is dedicated the place the companies in more protective positions in front of the court.

1. Argue for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRA) in your current (or future) workplace.

Dating couples may keep their relationship private so the co-workers might not know their affair for certain period of time, but how long can they keep their secret without letting the colleagues realize it? Most of the organizations discourage this kind of relationship among the coworkers, so those which follow the “kiss and tell” policy would require the couple to sign on the written agreement to avoid the employers from liability.
Such relations would influence the company relationship, teamwork and at last the customers would suffer from the poor performance of the organization which is followed by the irresponsible actions of those lovers.
In 2005 Ohio State University stated following the new policy. The revised CRA restricts the romantic or sexual relationship between faculty staff/graduate associates, undergraduate teaching assistants and students, attending physicians and medical residents/interns/ fellows cannot continue whenever there are supervisory, teaching, evaluation, advising, coaching or counseling responsibilities for the student. (OSU, 2010).
In my future work place, as a manager or as an employer I will initiate “zero-tolerance” organizational policy which would strictly prohibit the inter-staff dating or related romance. Disciplinary actions will be taken toward the employees who violate the policy. They would be transferred somewhere else or if it is needed the management would dismiss the staff from employment.
There are several potential reactions that might occur among the employees, such as they keep their relations secret and co-workers might protect the couple and decide not to reveal the story. Therefore, whoever the policy would clearly state that whoever intentionally did not report the