Alex Lucifero, employment lawyer, talks importance of disclosing office relationships

Interview Summary

Ottawa city council has implemented a disclosure policy regarding all workplace relationships. All councillors and staff members involved in romantic relationships must report their relationship to an integrity commissioner. What are the advantages of a potential disclosure policy? Are there concerns surrounding the privacy of employees’ personal lives?

Alex Lucifero, an employment lawyer in the Ottawa region, joined Patricia Boal on Newstalk 580 CFRA to discuss the policy and its potential influence on other workplaces.

Interview Notes

• Motion from Ottawa city council to disclose workplace relationships: This motion is likely long overdue, as the city council is like other workplaces with respect to having workplace policies regarding personal relationships.
• Standard workplace policies regarding office relationships: There should be a standard although there is no particular law that regulates what these particular policies should look like. It is important to note that banning workplace relationships outright is not pragmatic and rarely effective. Employers should implement a policy that requires disclosure of relationships and possibly discourage relationships between subordinate employees and those in an authoritative position.
• Possible violation of employee privacy rights: There should be a line in determining whether a relationship has created a conflict of interest, like that of a political work environment, or if harassment and inappropriate behaviour has taken place. Relationships could affect the business interests of an employer and cause other problems. By disclosing a relationship, any potential issues could be prevented.
• Action taken after a relationship is disclosed: Employers that are notified of an office relationship must take into consideration the context i.e. when the relationship is disclosed, how reasonable it is, no possible future conflicts, etc. Employees that have honestly and practically disclosed a relationship must be commended and not penalized or terminated.