# Can my adult supervisor date an underage employee without repercussion? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887 "2012-04-05T04:34:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/41 "2012-04-09T16:03:10Z")
> [@mshar253](#): > > Just to follow-up: He was fired. I remain employed. I might not be a strong enough writer to convey his predatory nature, but I think management saw it and had enough. I was thanked, actually, for bringing this to their attention. > > But it’s over, and I and everyone else can move forward. Yay! _does the happy dance_ ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/42 "2012-04-09T16:28:45Z")
> [@mshar253](#): > > Just to follow-up: He was fired. I remain employed. I might not be a strong enough writer to convey his predatory nature, but I think management saw it and had enough. I was thanked, actually, for bringing this to their attention. > > But it’s over, and I and everyone else can move forward. I’m unclear on the time frame here. On what date did you report him and on what date was he fired? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/43 "2012-04-09T18:36:41Z")
Sometimes, companies do the right thing…I’d still watch your back, there are often reprocussions for whistle blowers, but smart companies make an effort to create a time lag between events. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/44 "2012-04-09T18:55:31Z")
Glad it worked out. Speaking as an HR professional, we actually _like_ whistleblowers, believe it or not. One of our jobs is to protect the company from legal liability, and very often folks like the OP will be our first warning sign that there is a potential legal risk happening. Failing to fire this manager could have easily turned this situation into a sexual harassment case at the very least, even without the statutory rape angle. No company wants to be on the local news because one of their managers was arrested for raping a 17 year old coworker. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/45 "2012-04-09T19:26:01Z")
Right, but the 17-year-old hostess is still dating him? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/46 "2012-04-09T20:24:02Z")
Sometimes if an employee is a douche in one aspect of their personal behaviour they may well be treading the edges of acceptability in others. Firing them may not be risk free option for the management team since there may be recourse to law by the sacked person and there just isn’t quite enough to ensure no come back. Something such as this will give justifiable reason to offload, even though the real reason is assholery. ---
**Author:** ![davycoolguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e95f7d/32.png) [@davycoolguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davycoolguy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/47 "2014-07-20T22:40:29Z")
The OP sounds like a miserable, jealous POS. Instead of worrying about what others do, maybe he should try and correct things in his own life to hopefully attract ANY woman. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/48 "2014-07-20T22:53:26Z")
Um, never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/49 "2014-07-20T23:13:36Z")
> [@lawbuff](#): > > § 3122.1. Statutory sexual assault. > > (a) Felony of the second degree.–Except as provided in section 3121 (relating to rape), a person commits a felony of the second degree when that person engages in sexual intercourse with a complainant to whom the person is not married who is **under the age of 16** years and that person is either: > > (1) four years older but less than eight years older than the complainant; or > > (2) eight years older but less than 11 years older than the complainant. > > (b) Felony of the first degree.–A person commits a felony of the first degree when that person engages in sexual intercourse with a complainant under the age of 16 years and that person is 11 or more years older than the complainant and the complainant and the person are not married to each other. Now that this old thread has been bumped, could someone with a legal background postulate on why clause (a) above has the 4-8 year range and the 8-11 year range separated, rather than having a single 4-11 year range? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/50 "2014-07-21T01:45:24Z")
> [@davycoolguy](#): > > The OP sounds like a miserable, jealous POS. Instead of worrying about what others do, maybe he should try and correct things in his own life to hopefully attract ANY woman. :dubious: Insults are not allowed here, don’t call others names again outside of The BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/51 "2014-07-21T03:41:17Z")
None of your business. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/52 "2014-07-21T04:14:37Z")
> [@lawbuff](#): > > § 3122.1. Statutory sexual assault. > > (a) Felony of the second degree.–Except as provided in section 3121 (relating to rape), a person commits a felony of the second degree when that person engages in sexual intercourse with a complainant to whom the person is not married who is **under the age of 16** years and that person is either: > > (1) four years older but less than eight years older than the complainant; or > > (2) eight years older but less than 11 years older than the complainant. > > (b) Felony of the first degree.–A person commits a felony of the first degree when that person engages in sexual intercourse with a complainant under the age of 16 years and that person is 11 or more years older than the complainant and the complainant and the person are not married to each other. > > Indecent assault (fondling/touching) has the same age restriction, 16. At least online there is NO authority postition clause. > > My state there is, that I know, but it is not a boss as an exception. > > As pointed out though OP, these laws do not concern simple dating, as noted. > [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Now that this old thread has been bumped, could someone with a legal background postulate on why clause (a) above has the 4-8 year range and the 8-11 year range separated, rather than having a single 4-11 year range? I wondered the same thing also. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/53 "2014-07-21T05:39:20Z")
What business is it of the OP to care as long as it’s not affecting him personally. What the heck does this mean from the OP : “I feel like I accomplished my mission”. What is that mission exactly? This is not a baby locked in a hot car. It’s two adults (17 or not) that are having some sort of friendship / relationship. Do you feel justified to follow them to determine the exact nature of their relationship? I can think of a case though where the guy was much higher in the company than the gal and he stayed in a “relationship” with her for six years. She apparently put up with being strung along since she moved up in the ranks pretty well. It actually got a little play in the news when he finally did marry her (I’m guessing she blackmailed him.) Her name is Melinda French if you’ve ever heard of her. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/54 "2014-07-21T05:57:37Z")
> [@davycoolguy](#): > > The OP sounds like a miserable, jealous POS. Instead of worrying about what others do, maybe he should try and correct things in his own life to hopefully attract ANY woman. :dubious: Still boinking 17 year olds? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/55 "2014-07-21T12:19:45Z")
> [@lawbuff](#): > > § 3122.1. Statutory sexual assault. > > (a) Felony of the second degree.–Except as provided in section 3121 (relating to rape), a person commits a felony of the second degree when that person engages in sexual intercourse\*\* with a complainant\*\* to whom the person is not married who is **under the age of 16** years and that person is either: > > (1) four years older but less than eight years older than the **complainant;** or > > (2) eight years older but less than 11 years older than the **complainant.** > > (b) Felony of the first degree.–A person commits a felony of the first degree when that person engages in sexual intercourse with a\*\* complainant u **nder the age of 16 years and that person is 11 or more years older than the** complainant \*\*and the \*\*complainant \*\*and the person are not married to each other. I hate to quibble over legal language, but it sounds to me like the OP of this thread is the only potential “complainant” – \* “complainant, is . . . the party who initiates a lawsuit (also known as an action) before a court.”\* Wikipedia. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/56 "2014-07-21T14:12:35Z")
Folks, the girl in question is now 43 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887/57 "2014-07-21T14:16:39Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Folks, the girl in question is now 43 years old. Nah, that little girl grew up to Leonardo diCaprio so she is only 39 now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-adult-supervisor-date-an-underage-employee-without-repercussion/617887.md?page=2)