The #MeToo movement spread like a storm around the world. The movement is an international campaign against sexual harassment and sexual abuse at workplace. The worldwide movement has encouraged women around the world to speak about their stories.
After the #MeToo era started, there has been an intense presence in the Corporate Sector to ensure workplace policies on sexual harassment and gender equality. One of those policies is that even consensual relationships that involve power imbalance within a company are prohibited. Like the one between a manager and an employee or the CEO of the company and an employee.
McDonald's chief executive officer has been pushed out of the company after violating company policy by engaging in a consensual relationship with an employee.
Well, let’s look at the list of CEO’s that had to resign because of their relationships with employees
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich had to step down after the company learned of ‘a past, consensual relationship with an employee.’
“Intel was recently informed that Mr Krzanich had a past consensual relationship with an Intel employee. An ongoing investigation by internal and external counsel has confirmed a violation of Intel’s non-fraternization policy, which applies to all managers,” read a statement from Intel.
American Airlines reported that the employment agreement for their Chairman and CEO Doug Parker had been terminated at his request though this didn’t change his role at the time.
After having to resign from Infosys, Phaneesh Murthy was also sacked from iGate for his his relationship with a subordinate employee. Phaneesh had left Infosys with a lot of rage, denying the sexual harassment charges against him. However, iGate sacked CEO Phaneesh Murthy, claiming that the Board decided to do so after its outside legal counsel found that Mr. Murthy’s failed to report his relationship. This didn’t end here, Murthy sued iGate claiming his termination was not with a cause and hence he is still eligible for a compensation and benefits. iGate refused to pay any.
CIA chief David Petraeus’s extra marital affair with his biographer had the world shook. The FBI had discovered some evidences of his sexual relationship with an employee in a secret investigation.
Just when the resignation of CIA chief David Petraeus was making headlines, Lockheed announced that CEO-elect Christopher Kubasik had resigned due to a “close personal relationship with a subordinate employee.”
An internal investigation revealed an improper relationship with a female employee, which led to the board asking and receiving Kubasik’s resignation immediately. A third employee had brought the issue to the company's ethics committee.
Boeing had ordered its Chief Executive Harry Stonecipher to step down because of what the U.S. aircraft giant said was an improper relationship with a female executive.
