Letter: Improper behavior seems to be OK

Hey employers - I'm talking rich middle-aged men - it's apparently OK to get your "flirt" on at work with the young office hottie. And it's also OK to behave unprofessionally and to create a hostile work environment. If you're the boss you don't have to maintain the same professional standard that you ask of your employees (obviously the employee(s) you're playing with gets a free pass along with all those gifts, etc.).

But I am delighted to read that he (Dr. Robert Peppercorn) didn't get the girl, which is most always the case with these old guys thinking these young girls actually are hot for them when all they want is their money.

This "king," as he declared himself, was well aware of the hostility his immature horny behavior was causing in the office and his attitude was "live with it."
It's too bad the plaintiff failed to document her emotional distress or she could have won that, but I don't know why Peppercorn wasn't slapped with punitive damages as an example for the rest. This is 2008 - everyone knows you don't behave this way in the workplace. It's a code of conduct - if you violate this rule you can be disciplined and terminated. Unless you're the boss. I don't get it, ladies, it looks like we haven't made progress in this field. Hopefully, the plaintiff will win in the appeal.

Hilda Mendez
Marysville