Are "friendly" text messages from boss a problem? 11-08-2006

We have an individual in a leadership position that casually text mails his subordinates (typically female). At the moment everything seems friendly. When situations of this nature turn south, are there records that can be retrieved (if the messages aren't saved) and used to justify a position?

Rita Risser replies:

IM and text messages can be recovered indefinitely (as can be now seen with the Congressional page scandal.) I am concerned about this situation. A person in a leadership position should not be all that friendly with subordinates. This is exactly what Congressman Foley did! He was "friendly" with the pages, sizing them up before he tried to seduce them. I would tell the man this is a violation of the company's harassment policy as applied to people in leadership (who have a higher standard) and force him to stop.

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