CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENTS Professor Newman Leadership and Organizational Behavior January 18, 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements When a person goes to work they have the responsibility to work. Should they be looking for a relationship? Does an individual have the right to start a relationship with a coworker that they spend eight to ten hours a day with? It seems that it is bound to happen if you spend that much time together. Should an employer be able to control who you can date? We will argue both sides to this question, to see if an employer can control who an employee can and can’t date. Argument for the use of CRA’s In my office there are five people that work in this one office space which has three desks with three computers. Most times we share desks due to the lack of space, desks and computers. I definitely feel that the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRA’s) would be beneficial in our situation. By an employee signing the CRA’s it is basically saying they entered in the relationship freely, consensually and unrelated to the company: the couple is aware of the sexual harassment policy and know how to use it. Finally, they agree to settle any relationship disputes through arbitration, not lawsuit (Employment Practices Solution, 2005). Also, the CRA’s would advise them of acting professionally while in the work area. With more women in the work force, in 2003, women composed 46.6% of the labor force (Amaral, 2003), and the longer hours that everyone works, on the job relationships do happen. Gautier states in the article, that there are several reasons why they have relationships at work. Some of the reasons are because of their similarities with their coworkers such as similar beliefs, attitudes, education and backgrounds as a root of attraction between coworkers (Gautier, 2007). It is good to have a policy in place to address any issues that might arise from office romances. Since my office is small and we...