Requiring Rooming on the Road - A Caution From Your Lawyer

Posted 3:17 PM by Michael Fox

Today's article in the NYT, My Colleague, My Roommate, notes that corporate America is beginning to borrow a concept from the non-profit and academic world -- having its employees share hotel rooms while on the road. A cost-saving measure that you can imagine, for the most part, is being met with less than enthusiasm.

While I don't normally post allegations from lawsuits -- as a service to anyone needing ammunition to oppose such a forced rooming request, let me offer as Exhibit A, the summary of a lawsuit filed just this past week in Austin, Texas:

Sexual harassment, retaliation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress case seeking exemplary damages in which plaintiff worked for defendant [Company] as a technician and had to share a room with another employee, defendant [Doe] on a work related trip. [Doe] "masterbated [sic] in front of plaintiff " and plaintiff was terminated after he reported the behavior.

From D-1-GN-06-001277, filed in Travis County District Court on April 12, 2006, thanks to the always terrific reporters from the Courthouse News Service.

I rest my case.

Comments:

So what can you do when your employer is making employees share hotel BEDS? My employer is making seven women share two hotel rooms (two beds per room). The owners are married and get their own room while the only male on the trip gets his own room, also.

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:46 PM