Romantic relationships in the workplace are not uncommon. In fact, with people spending the bulk of their waking hours at work, it’s no surprise that some personal connections may turn romantic.
But what happens when a workplace romance leads to a pink slip? If an employee has been fired over an office romance, they may be wondering: Was this wrongful termination? The answer depends on the specific circumstances and employer policies.
When termination for office romance may be legal
In many situations, firing someone for engaging in a workplace romance may be legal, especially if:
- The employer has a clear policy against office relationships or conflicts of interest.
- The relationship involves a superior and a subordinate, which may pose issues of favoritism or potential harassment.
- The romance begins to disrupt workplace productivity or cause conflict.
- One party in the relationship violates other workplace rules, such as professionalism standards.
Employers have the right to implement workplace conduct rules, and if an employee has been made aware of these rules, violating them could lead to lawful termination.
When termination may be wrongful
On the other hand, a termination might rise to the level of wrongful if:
- The employer only fires one party in the relationship, often the lower-ranking or female employee, which could be a sign of gender discrimination.
- The relationship was entirely consensual and did not violate any written policy, but one party was retaliated against.
- The termination was used as a pretext to mask other unlawful reasons, such as whistleblower retaliation or age discrimination.
- The company only applied its no-romance policy selectively, which may demonstrate unequal treatment or bias.
Employees who have been terminated due to an office romance should start by reviewing their company’s employee handbook and policies.
While office romances can be legally risky, being fired over one isn’t automatically wrongful. For employees whose termination feels unfair or targeted, it’s worth exploring available legal options. Workplace relationships may be complicated—but employee rights don’t have to be.