A New York security firm, Guardsmark, established a rule prohibiting employees from fraternizing on duty and off duty, from dating one another, and from forming friendships with a client’s employees and with co-employees.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) filed an unfair labor practices charge with the NLRB, claiming Guardsmark’s employees’ rights had been violated. Much to everyone’s surprise, the NLRB ruled in favor of the Guardsmark rule. It said that the company’s rule would be interpreted as a ban on dating, not on forming friendships.
The NLRB rules on laws, not the wisdom of strategies and tactics. In order to keep employees productive and reasonably happy on the job, it is important for management not to impose rules that will lead to strikes, slow downs, or walkouts. No dating policies may be effective for avoiding sexual harassment suits, but they have to be instituted as diplomatically as possible and with the cooperation of employees. Employee participation in management decisions is often the key to a happy and productive workforce.
