LogFAQs > #928046741

DarthWendy posted...

Don't get physical with co-workers, not unless they're long time friends, or excellent mates you hang out with outside of work. Even if the whole solar system of text there didn't seem to suggest any serious situation, and even if she may well be a complete bellend, you don't touch them. It's as simple as that. You don't know how they'll react, simply because you don't know them.

You were in the wrong to bump her, even in the most friendly manner. It's a formal work place you were in. AND, you don't genuinely know them. Unless, see first sentence etc.

And even if you do know them, it's still a risky proposition. Best to avoid.

SableWolfAngel posted...

I see what you're saying, and I'd say you're pretty much right, but context is kind of important. She's touched me before so I thought she wouldn't mind. She's pinched me, rustled my hair, grabbed me, all sorts of stuff. All in jest and I don't care. A few of my other coworkers do the same thing. Why is it ok for her to touch me but I can't touch her? What's the difference? Where's the boundary there? So I can pinch and tug and jostle my coworkers, but if I tell them not to touch me they just have to deal with it?

Honestly, none of that really matters. Maybe it might help reduce whatever consequence comes your way, at the end of the day, you touched her, she didn't want to be touched, you're in the wrong. Whether you are okay with being touched by your coworkers, and whether she is one who has touched you before, doesn't change that she did not want to be touched by you.

Harassment/bullying/etc is always taken from the perspective of the victim.

My experience in these topics is as upper management dealing with situations like this arising and having to work with employees to resolve this (and prevent a lawsuit).

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If you can understand this, I'm 2/cosC for you.