Sex in the Workplace: Business as Usual?

If a boss has sex with a subordinate, and no one’s around to exploit it, does it make a sound?

Had it not been for the extortion plot against David Letterman by a former CBS employee, the world might never have known of Letterman’s affairs with female “Late Show” staffers. Now, of course, the media are weighing in on the scandal and the rules regarding sex in the workplace.

But why should the media have all the fun? I’d like to hear your take on all of this…

On the one hand, Letterman claims the affairs he had with his employees were consensual and didn’t violate any of Worldwide Pants’ policies. And in an article for Associated Content yesterday, blogger Cassandra James argues that because these were legitimate relationships, these women aren’t victims of sexual harassment; therefore, this is not a workplace issue.

She makes a good point, but I still can’t help but wonder…When it comes to sex in the workplace, can you ever really separate the two?

Even if an affair with the boss is completely consensual…isn’t there always the risk it might turn ugly at some point in the future (as it has for 7 percent of employees who’ve engaged in office romances, according to a CareerBuilder survey)?

And as BusinessInsider blogger Henry Blodget argues, there’s still no guarantee yet that for Letterman it won’t.

What are your thoughts?

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