Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, P.C. Partner Joshua Goodbaum was recently featured in the October 29, 2021, edition of Wirtschaftswoche, a popular weekly newsmagazine that covers the business world in Germany and beyond.
Wirtschaftswoche interviewed Josh about sexual harassment in the context of workplace romantic and sexual relationships.
An English translation of Josh’s portion of the article states:
[T]he balancing act between a relationship on an equal footing and a clear hierarchy is almost impossible to achieve. At the latest, when a romance breaks down, problems arise. “Usually, it comes down to this, that one of the former partners has to leave the company,” says Joshua Goodbaum, a lawyer specializing in employment law in New Haven, Connecticut. In addition, companies and managers alike risk being sued for sexual harassment. After all, it is difficult to prove in retrospect whether a romantic relationship really came about voluntarily — especially when the boss has taken the initiative. “Subordinates may be reluctant to reject advances,” says Goodbaum. “That opens the door to allegations of sexual harassment.” He therefore vehemently advises executives against entering into romantic or sexual relationships with their subordinates.
The full article (in German) is available here.
Josh has written extensively about workplace sexual harassment, including in this blog post for Garrison, Levin-Epstein’s Employee Rights Blog.
The lawyers of Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, P.C. have been advocating for employee and civil rights throughout Connecticut for more than 40 years. From our offices in New Haven, we provide award-winning representation in all aspects of Connecticut employment law.