A court in Germany has upheld the right of the nation's citizens to flirt at work. The ruling comes in response to US supermarket chain Wal-Mart's company policy banning any sign of attraction between its workers.
1. Labour of Love in the German Workplace
A court in Germany has upheld the right of the nation's citizens to flirt at work. The ruling comes in response to US supermarket chain Wal-Mart's company policy banning any sign of attraction between its workers.
A court in the city of Düsseldorf ruled that the German subsidiary of the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, was acting outside the law in trying to impose restrictions on the nature of relationships allowed between its employees.
The court said that while such regulations might be acceptable and indeed common practice in the US, they are neither compatible with German labour law nor the personal rights of employees. Wal-Mart introduced a code of ethical conduct earlier in the year. It prohibits company employees from dating or falling in love with a colleague in a position of influence, and from exchanging lustful glances or flirting in any way.
In its 28-page code, the discount chain, requests that its workers report anyone observed to be breaking the rules, via a special telephone hotline. Failure to comply with the rules can lead to the termination of an employment contract.
The ruling means that the 10,500 employees can get on with flirtation as usual without worrying about being stabbed in the back by officious colleagues.
2.Wal-Mart Slammed at Berlinale
When it comes to Germans and the world's largest supermarket, Wal-Mart, there's little love lost. No surprise then that a new film exposing the work ethics of the US retail giant, is such a hit at this year's Berlinale.
The documentary, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" is a foray into the shocking reality of cost-cutting retail management, into a world where employee rights play second
fiddle