Don't get too fit or you can be fired!

How is this boss not getting charged with sexual harassment? He's the one in seniority and should be held accountable for creating that work environment.

If she had a right to wear it, then he had a right to fire her. Isn't that what democracy is all about? Didn't we fight for equal rights?

Exactly.

She was asked to wear less provocative clothing. She didn't, that's a fact that both sides agreed on.

*shrugs* The dentist showed restraint and self control in that he chose to fire his assistant rather than attempt to get in her pants. I commend the man. He understood what his weakness is and avoided it, just like I don't keep ice cream in my freezer any longer, lol!

And yes, psfr, you can fire someone for having a different religion or belief than you do. About 10 years ago a Muslim boss successfully fired his employee for repeatedly eating BLT sandwiches at her desk. Pork is against their religion, and they asked her to stop and she didn't.

It's called a democracy. It's called capitalism and freedom to believe what you want. Private business owners have a different set of rules than government workers.

Sounds about right.

*facepalm*

When you work in a professional environment, it is your responsibility to behave professionally, including when you choose your attire. The dentist requested that his assistant dress less provocatively, and she did not comply. It was not her physical fitness that got her fired - it was insubordination and inappropriate attire for the workplace.

Agree.

How is this boss not getting charged with sexual harassment? He's the one in seniority and should be held accountable for creating that work environment.

Well, she would have to press charges and I bet a deeper investigation would reveal she wasn't innocent.

Well said.
I think of myself in that situation with a client's wife.
OUCH!
It's just something you never do.

It's very much the opposite where I work.

I work with a lot of older women. And they all seem to like it when I wear tight clothing. In fact they've started to request it. They make comments when I'm at the water cooler. Some of the supervisors call me into their office.. and make me shut the door.



Sometimes at night... I cry.

I'm one of his bosses

I'm the one with my ear pressed up against the door.

And i am the colleague who's comforting him about all this. In my office..with the door shut

The general rule in most states is that you can fire someone for ANY reason so long as its not for one of the specific, prohibited reasons such as race, gender, etc. The case isn't really all that earth shattering.

Edit: To be clear, I'm not saying that the dentist or his wife are great people . . .

^this, although I also think the guy is perv.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/12/27/yelp-users-slam-dentist-who-fired-his-assistant-for-being-irresistible/?test=latestnews

Some quotes from the article:

"Melissa Nelson, a 32-year-old married mother of two, had worked for James Knight for 10 years, and he considered her a stellar worker. But in the final months of her employment, he complained that her tight clothing was distracting -- once telling her that if his pants were bulging that was a sign her clothes were too revealing, according to the Supreme Court opinion."

and

"On Dec. 21, the court ruled 7-0 that bosses can fire employees they see as an "irresistible attraction," even if the employees have not engaged in flirtatious behavior or otherwise done anything wrong."

OMG, what a load of crap. Read the whole article and see what happened. Melissa may not have been "offended" by her bosses remark about bulging pants but it was totally inappropriate. Talk about stupid men....the dentist and all the men on the Iowa supreme court fit the bill. It was not all about Melissa's tight clothes. It was about the dentist and his roving eye and his wife wanting Melissa GONE. The only thing Melissa is guilty of is being naive. The judges however have much to answer for and are demonstrating a lack of respect for women and giving employers a way to fire women without just cause. Stupid Idiots. The truth is, a woman can just be a woman, dressing any which way, covered from head to toe, and randy men will still be randy men. They may not be able to change their feelings of attraction but they sure as h*** can change their behavior.

Her termination went beyond merely being fit,
There were other factors like both parties texting each other outside work and engaging in sexual innuendo.
When his wife found out, she demanded the employee be fired.
A job is not an entitlement, and a business is not a social service. If my wife found out I was texting the maid and such, the maid . tuld be GONE!
Such is life....

Funny, if I found out my guy was hitting on the maid, HE would be gone, not the maid. But I guess there are a lot of people in the world who are willing to put up with partners who disrespect them and their relationship. And (apparently) a lot of people who think it is OK for a man to have no self control around other women when he is supposed to be in a monogamous relationship.

This.
Take responsibility. The employer's wife saw the assistant as a threat to her marriage, but it looks to me like her husband was the threat. And she was fired because of his feelings toward her and his wife's request that she be fired after finding out they spoke via text messages... NOT because she dressed inappropriately or violated any code of dress or conduct in the workplace.
It's a ****ty thing to happen.

http://www.iowacourts.gov/Supreme_Court/Recent_Opinions/20121221/11-1857.pdf

I can see both sides of it. Pretty sure it didn't matter what she wore, he already had a thing for her in his head (and sounds like they both participated.) But firing for THAT reason is one step away from blaming the rape victim because her skirt was "too short." I believe HIM to be at fault because he couldn't keep it professional and basically only fired her because the wife found out and demanded it. On the other hand, it was very convenient for him that his office had a dress code and she failed to meet it, despite being told. Then I can see it being a reason to terminate her employment (if in a Right to work state.)

What I take out of that is this: Don't wear tight and/or revealing clothing to work.

According to the stories I read, she wore scrubs.