To think the CEO of McDonalds

[spanglydangly]

Should not have been dismissed for a relationship with a "subordinate"

As long as both parties are not acting inappropriately at work. I.e blatant favouritism or bring their personal line into work then what's the problem?

Or am I missing something massive?

@Everanewbie

But in this case it's not a pure colleague though, is it? It's not like I'm in Marketing and I'm dating Michael from Finance. He is the most senior manager and this woman is his subordinate, regardless of where she works, he is the top boss. If a relationship breaks down, who is to say that a manager would not try and pressure the woman out of the business, ensure she does not get promoted etc. This is why there are rules to stop relationships where people are managed by each other.

Having met both my ex partners through work I can't see what the problem with this was - it was a consensual adult relationship. Many many people meet their partner at work! What a ridiculous rule .

Wow, I'm rather surprised at some of the responses here. I'm a US poster who has always been rather jealous of the employee rights in the UK. The "no relationship with a subordinate " clause is standard in most large US companies. This prevents the employee from possibly being coerced. Employee relationships are generally fine, there's a number in my workplace, but only as long as it isn't between a supervisor and a subordinate. This also prevents the company possibly being sued for allowing sexual harassment or causing a toxic workplace environment.Yes, in a perfect world, we're all adults making our own decisions, but should one of those decisions be deciding whether to turn down a date with your boss or possibly losing your job? He deserved to be sacked.

It’s important to note that he would have been on a director’s service contract which has greater obligations and responsibilities than your bog standard employment contract, for good reason. Part of being that senior is being a role model and if you don’t follow the rules that’s not an example that companies especially publicly listed ones will tolerate after Me Too as the reputations damage of an NDA for the female employee and being seen to condone the breach of rules would take precedence.

Well then, fire them. Tough shit. You sign a contract, you read the rules. He breached his contract and got caught out. Diddums. Waaa, life's not fair.

@Passthecherrycoke.

This is what I thought too.

He’s not actually complaining about it or asking anyone to feel sorry for him though is he?

I think it’s fair, the dynamic is never going to be fairly weighted. And even if it was the exception, he breached his contract.
I think work relationships can work (obviously many do!) but it’s different when it’s the CEO/senior staff.

@dontalltalkatonce he is not complaining, he said it's justified. I merely brought it up as a discussion, he's not asked me to do it!

I am personally more concerned at the unhealthy food and sugary drink that is targeted at children by his former company and contributes massively to the cost of the NHS than his personal relationships. Or that any of his former staff were on low pay and any on zero hours contracts.

He signed the contract willingly and was massively paid though.

I think it’s sensible. To be honest I would never ever have a relationship in work regardless of what my contract said. Especially if I was in a position of authority over the man. If I really wanted to peruse the relationship I would find another job and then date them when we were no longer working together and there was no rush of our relationship interfering with our work and no rush of our work interfering with our relationship.

He got fired. And a pay out of $675000. I can't help comparing that to the employee who put an extra sprinkle on a McFlurry and was fired. Without a payout. Until she made an application for unfair dismissal.

Even in the U.K. if he was unfairly dismissed the maximum compensation he’d have got for unfair dismissal would probably be a drop in the ocean compared to his salary, so probably worth the risk.

I think it’s fair enough though. He knew the rules.

I think there is a lot going on here that we’re not privy too. The simplest explanation is that the board wanted him out, and used This as a reason

This . A good CEO would never be
Fired for this

Expensive shag that has turned out to be

I wouldn't be surprised if there was more to this than we have been told. It's unusual for a company to sack someone who's doubled their value.

There has to be more too it. I worked at McDonald’s (not head office obvs!) in late teens and everyone was sleeping with everyone 🙄

Yes, he should. It was clearly defined in his work contract and as a CEO I'm sure he knew what he was doing. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!

I agree with the people who see this policy as employee protection. Also, I've worked alongside a female manager and male subordinate having an extra marital affair and it was bloody uncomfortable for the rest of us in the office.

I can't feel sorry for someone in 15 million quid, no. He knew the deal when he signed his contract. The rule should be changed but its fairly common in the US, and we are only hearing about it as he is an exec.

At what point does it become a relationship? Seriously? A coffee date, sex, co-habiting, marriage, a platonic friendship? A romantic relationship without sex? So at what point does it become gross misconduct?

If you fall for someone below or above you at work, are you supposed to let that opportunity for happiness slide by because your boss might catch you? I know there are plenty of fish in the sea etc. but come on!

I really do understand the power dynamic element, but any organisation worth their salt can arrange reporting lines and manage conflicts of interest fairly. Especially one the size of McDonalds. If the relationship has been proven to have caused the individual(s) to act inappropriately and/or dishonestly, THEN is the time to take action.

I think we're in danger of extrapolating the worst excesses of exploitation and control and letting those insistence's dictate what could be a sensible and proportionate policy.

@everanewbie

Probably the minute someone reports it. People might do this if they think the boss is either neglecting his work to sneak off and shag his new partner on work time or if he is offering her preferential treatment.

The reason lots of offices don't have this policy is because most offices don't have an enormous company which employs thousands of teenagers. Work relationships are usually fine unless someone gets preferential treatment, is being coerced or is neglecting their work because they're treating the office like a nightclub, to pick up people junior to them.

I can't feel sorry for someone in 15 million quid, no. He knew the deal when he signed his contract. The rule should be changed but its fairly common in the US, and we are only hearing about it as he is an exec.

So it would be different for someone on minimum wage? It would be ok if his earnings were lower? It's not about possible coercion for you or causing problems in the workplace m, it's all about how much he earns?

One way of looking at it.

Snort at policy across the whole organisation. I used to be married to someone who worked in the head office. There was plenty of people in relationships started at work and some having affairs that were well known about and no one batted an eye.
Actually I'd say culturally it was quite laddish (5 years ago so may have now altered)-no one would have given a monkeys-In the British office anyway...this guy was now based in Chicago having moved from UK operations.
I actually met the man involved in this when I was a McWife. He wasn't very nice. There might be more to this than they are letting on. Or else he didn't quite make his business targets (which he didnt according to the news).

Mcwife 🤣