friends or what....

[allstarsassyone]

I'm back at the same work place I was at 2 years ago. My former boss and I became cool friends. It seems like he wants to be more than just friends. I caught him staring at me in this weird way by the copy machine. Is that sexual harassment? Calls me "goober"....is that just being friends or????????????/

[Heretic]

Yeah Goober doesn't sound... well sexual to me. As far as the staring thing is concerned, if it bothers you tell him. Once you tell him he'll stop I'm sure, if he doesn't that will constitute as harrasment, you're not allowed to ogle someone at the workplace.

 

Just a word from the wise though, if you guys are friends "threatening" him could cause a rift. I'd wait for something a bit more... concrete before mentioning anything.

 

Hope this helps.

[enadevoli]

like every one else said, i don't think you could count staring at you as sexual harassment. Just because you don't know why he's staring at you. Some times people just get lost in thought. Like have you ever noticed a friend just staring at some thing & then you get her attention & she didn't even realize she was staring?? Maybe he just got lost in thought & you were in his staring range.. any thing is possible, so its not so easy to say if its sexual harassment. however, if he says things to you, or touches you & it makes you uncomfortable, then I would consider that sexual harassment, if he does that tell him that it makes you uncomfortable & if he doesnt stop then you should do some thing about it. Its kind of hard to tell when you say that you are friends with him cause friends do tend to act closer than if you didn't know each other. & friends do give their friends nicknames, so its hard to say. whatever you do, just make sure you know that its for sure before you go & do some thing about it because sexual harassment is a serious thing & he could lose his job.

[avman]

Actually staring/leering can be considered sexual harassment. You have to tell him that its unwanted and ask him to stop. If he doesn't, go to human resources and report it.

 

I'm not sure about the goober part. But I'd tell him that it bothers you. If he keeps doing it then report it.

 

Companies WILL take action on things like this because they can get totally burned by a lawsuit if they dont.

[neallo82288]

harassment can be constituted as any action that you find offensive. If he is staring at you and you inform him that it makes you feel uncomfortable then report it. If it does not bother you then it is not harassment. Any glance that lasts over ten seconds could be constrrude as harassment. If his callingyou "goober" is offensive to you then tell him and if he doesn't stop that too can be construde as harassment. Any action or statement that you find offensive could be construde as harassment. The law states that you do not have to work in an environment that you do not feel comfortable with.

 

If he is harassing you then sit down and talk to him and if that does not work then report him and the office will make him stop!