I am in the financial services industry and my boss was an amazing personality however, his "computer" skills needed a little tweeking. Realizing his weakness, he hired an efficient secretary who monitored his every memo and email, making appropriate changes to everything that left his desk. Then she had a family emergency UH-OH.. he was unleashed. He sent out an email that our liability insurance carrier required that all employees were required to attend "SEXUAL HARRASSMENT TRAINING". Feeling very comfortable with my boss and considering him a friend.. AND knowing his secretary was out of town, I decided to tease him about his description of the mandatory liability training. So I sent him the following message.

"Dear _,

I, for one, am certain that I am an expert in this area. I do not feel that any additional training is necessary as I have years of practice. Therefore, I request permission to be excluded from the mandatory meeting "sexual harrassment training". In fact, I have a prior commitment. I have been trying to get this rather large builders account and have landed a lunch meeting with him. So... my question to you is this: since the builder is a potential client and NOT a co-worker.. would it be considered sexuall harrassment if I gave him a BJ?

My boss quickly responded. Sadly, and to my horror, he hit the wrong button and copied everyone that was on the original ditribution list, including the INSURANCE COMPANY REP that required the training to insure us. His plain but encouraging answer was:

Dear Jeannie,

That is absolutely NOT sexual harrassment. In fact if you land the account it is a BONUS $$$$$$.

Fast Forward: The following week during the meeting that we ALL attended. He and I were singled out as a horrible warning and example of how innocent banter can be taken seriously.......

So in a final touche' we both filed employee grievances on one another!