So there's this whole mess going on in the American Red Cross at the moment. The organization's president, Mark Everson, was forced to resign from his position due to an affair with a subordinate. Opinions on this development are varied, with some people who don't think it's sufficient grounds for termination, others who strongly condemn the relationship, especially because Everson is married, and others who think the Red Cross is just playing morality police.

Ah, the office romance. The office is a breeding ground of temptation, what with people spending a lot of time there and working closely with their colleagues. It's generally frowned upon as a place for finding your life partner, but what can people do when they spend a large part of their days there? At the same time, it's an absolute no-no to strike up a relationship with a superior--which will garner accusations of favoritism or send your career plummeting in case the romance fizzles out--or a subordinate, which will garner accusations of sexual harassment. Sure, the office romance can be exciting, but unless the right steps are taken, it generally spells trouble for you.

This latest hoopla just shows how troublesome it can become, although there's the added factor that one of the people involved happens to be married. Bigger problems right there.

I personally am not one to condemn the 'office romance' aspect of it. They're human, they work together, they fell in love, BOOM! End of story. It's the 'married' aspect that rankles, and certainly shouldn't just be cheerfully shrugged off. But does the whole incident merit a firing?

It can be said that he shouldn't have been let go, since having an affair doesn't impede him in carrying out his duties. Apparently, the Red Cross was getting back on its feet under his leadership.* I think what can be a problem is his image as a leader. Whether or not we're a jaded bunch of people, we still think leaders ought to be intelligent and capable of making the right decisions. Having an adulterer for a leader may not inspire such confidence. People may go on about not caring about others' personal lives as long as they do their jobs, but in reality, there are still plenty of people who would strongly disapprove of affairs. It's like no one wants to advise people on doing what's right anymore, as if the only right thing in the world is good job performance.

Thoughts on the issue, anyone? How would you feel if you found out your married boss is having an affair with your coworker?

Elsewhere:

Does Office Romance Get a Bad Rap?

For Love or Pink Slips: Why On-The-Job Nookie With The Boss Is A No-No

The Red Cross' Latest Emergency

Office Mate: The Employee Handbook for Finding--and Managing--Romance on the Job on Amazon

_{* Look at the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky issue. Now that was quite a scandal, but Clinton wasn't booted out of office. "So what if he did all those things? He's still doing a good job as president," and everybody just carried on.}