Is Licking Your Employee's Hand Sexual Harassment?

A fashion designer who worked for high-end coat company S. Rothschild & Co., which supplies DKNY and Tommy Hilfiger, has filed a federal sexual harassment lawsuit against her former boss, claiming that she had to leave the company in 2008 because of his "egregious sexual harassment." The Daily News obtained the court papers, which paint a pervy portrait of Michael Kaufman, the boss of plaintiff Maria Adamkiewicz. According to the lawsuit, Kaufman's quite the character, and loves spicing up boring meetings with antics like licking Adamkiewicz's hand. Which he then followed up with the age-old question, "Is that sexual harassment?"

That's now for a Manhattan court to decide. But Kaufman's bizarrely ribald shenanigans didn't stop there—the lawsuit claims he "once took off his belt in front of another employee, snapped it and said he was going to whip her with it—and dropped his pants on another occasion." Oh, and on a business trip to LA, "Kaufman pulled up next to a Hustler lingerie shop and told Adamkiewicz and a colleague they buy sex toys to use with their boyfriends." At least, that's what she said (in the lawsuit).

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By John Del Signore in News on March 10, 2010 11:35 AM

Comments [rss]

JRod5417

I like any story that has a Michael Scott picture attached. And the answer is yes.

Spook

It's totally appropriate if you're Rep. Eric Massa

JenChungsNewBra

If all you want is sweet revenge? Then yes my dear.

JenChungsBaby

It's only OK if you're about to suck a tequila shot out of her belly button.

Mordicai

If you have to ask then the answer is "yes."

handsomedevil

This kind of suit is so 1992, when women were all delicate flowers and shit. Were his employees really incapable of saying "don't do stuff like that, I don't like it"?

Instead, somebody leaves a company with hard feelings, is sitting around at a bar somewhere and thinks, gee, I can remember a handful of things he did that were obnoxious and sexual. I should sue that asshole.

glen glenn

Because everyone can just tell their boss "stop doing that!" and not fear retribution.

handsomedevil

Yeah, actually. If you speak up for yourself and then get fired, then it's time to sue.

If you are so afraid of your boss that you can't possibly give feedback on something simple that makes you uncomfortable, you are living like a child, not an adult.

handsomedevil

Meh, thought I unchecked the "replying to" box. Please do not sue me.

Spudster

Indeed!

NannyState

It was a Hipster Grifter "mouth hand-job" gone awry.

swoop

Apparently you cant have close friends in the workplace. Everything is sexual harassment. I sent my editor, whom I'm immensely attracted to, a valentines day card. That's probably sexual harassment.

Licking someones hand is weird, especially if you don't feel your relationship is at that level. But I don't think it's necessarily sexually harassing. But even still, if you've never sipped from the same straw, it's not ok to lick their hand.

l3iodeez

"Is that sexual harassment?"

Yes.

KiljoyWasHere

Excellent use of TWSS.

Gotham Extremist

"Is Licking Your Employee's Hand Sexual Harassment?"

Yes, if you are trying to clean up your load off of her hand. You can get sued for that.

Guest

if i'd been drooling over my incredibly sexy and fuckable boss, the answer is no--it's actually be a dream come true.

but that's not what we're talking about here, are we?