As the Bolt Turns

[Bolt]

just because this harassment talk got me fired up again. Let me share a story that is simply unbelievable and eerily similar to mine.

Names changed to protect the innocent.

Jim was a superior at a company that sold widgets. An attractive woman, Jane, was hired on under him. She reported directly to Jim in the department. Jim was married and outgoing. Jane openly flirted with many men in the office including Jim who openly flirted back.

Jim, Jane and a few coworkers went out to a club. Jane, being attractive, went straight to the front of the line and got Bob, a coworker in as well, saying it was her "boyfriend" to get him in.

Jim texted Jane asking her to get him in. He said that he wished that he was her "boyfriend" so he could get in. She said she could only handle one boyfriend at a time. Jim responded, "Then dump your current boyfriend to be with me."

This was all done in jokes so Jim could get into the club. He did get into the club and they all laughed about it.

A few weeks later, Jane had her quarterly review. Her sales were low and Jim, as her supervisor, had to orally reprimand her as per company policy. Jane understood and said that she would do her best to do better next quarter.

Next quarter comes up and Jane has NOT done better. As a matter of fact, she does worse. Jim now, as per company policy, gives her a written reprimand.

Jane doesn't take this too well. She goes to HR saying that Jim has been harassing her because she denied his advances. She showed the texts from 6 months before about getting into the club.

This was the ONLY texts that Jim had sent to Jane regarding anything except work.

Jim was brought into HR, was told he could either resign or be fired. He explained to HR what happened and HR said, the "perception" was that he was trying to use sexual favors over Jane's head.

Jim resigned.

I promise you that is not my story but the fact that nothing happened and a vindictive underling made false accusations is.

The moral? Not sure. Don't send any texts? Don't talk to subordinates? Don't lunch with any females alone who you aren't related or married to?

This litigious world [censored].