May 7, 2009 1:35 PM
- Text
Love, Contractually
(CBS)
In a complex world one thing is certain. You can't avoid love.
But if it's a romance at work, you could now be asked to sign a "love contract," CBS News Correspondent John Blackstone reports.
"The formal title, as you can see, is 'Consensual Social Relationship Agreement,'" said Attorney Stephen Tedesco.
But some say a love contract is something only a lawyer could come up with.
"I think it makes a relationship kind of cold," Nicole Winn told Blackstone. "I'd almost want to have it more romantic and secret."
Tedesco specializes in helping companies avoid embarrassing and expensive sexual harassment suits. He now recommends that budding office romances be documented for everybody's protection.
"The idea behind this contract is to separate out what is an office romance, what is consensual, versus what is unwelcome, what is sexual harassment," Tedesco said.
The contract's five pages of legalese are far from the language of love.
An excerpt from the contract: "First employee and second employee each independently and collectively desire to undertake a mutually consensual social and amorous relationship."
If you're looking for a love poem, don't come to an attorney.
But even some attorneys see the "love contract" as overkill.
"A five-page, single-spaced document ... it's longer than the Declaration of Independence," gawked Karen Kubin, a sexual harassment attorney.
Tedesco wouldn't name companies that use his "love contracts," but he says hundreds of romantic co-workers have signed them. We found few people, though who thought this was a good start to an office romance.
"I don't think that's any of my boss' business!" one woman told Blackstone.
"I wouldn't tell my boss," said another. "I wouldn't … would you?"
But if it's a romance at work, you could now be asked to sign a "love contract," CBS News Correspondent John Blackstone reports.
"The formal title, as you can see, is 'Consensual Social Relationship Agreement,'" said Attorney Stephen Tedesco.
But some say a love contract is something only a lawyer could come up with.
"I think it makes a relationship kind of cold," Nicole Winn told Blackstone. "I'd almost want to have it more romantic and secret."
Tedesco specializes in helping companies avoid embarrassing and expensive sexual harassment suits. He now recommends that budding office romances be documented for everybody's protection.
"The idea behind this contract is to separate out what is an office romance, what is consensual, versus what is unwelcome, what is sexual harassment," Tedesco said.
The contract's five pages of legalese are far from the language of love.
An excerpt from the contract: "First employee and second employee each independently and collectively desire to undertake a mutually consensual social and amorous relationship."
If you're looking for a love poem, don't come to an attorney.
But even some attorneys see the "love contract" as overkill.
"A five-page, single-spaced document ... it's longer than the Declaration of Independence," gawked Karen Kubin, a sexual harassment attorney.
Tedesco wouldn't name companies that use his "love contracts," but he says hundreds of romantic co-workers have signed them. We found few people, though who thought this was a good start to an office romance.
"I don't think that's any of my boss' business!" one woman told Blackstone.
"I wouldn't tell my boss," said another. "I wouldn't … would you?"
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