Help - We think an employee is masturbating at work!

Java HR · September 2005

Yes, you read right! We think an employee is masturbating at work in the bathroom. We have had our cleaning person tell us he has found traces of substance. We have employees comment on a particular employee using the restroom a lot, taking reading material with him.

How does one go about "handling" this?

I still can't believe I even have to type this!

TN HR · September 2005

Thanks! I needed this on Friday. You don't "handle" situations such as these. Truth be told, there is very little you can do in terms of what someone does in the relative privacy of a bathroom.

The cleaning person should take whatever precautions he would normally take while cleaning the restroom. Semen creates no more of an exposure than feces or urine. Sorry I had to be graphic but I am trying to drive the point home that you're making a speculative issue of out nothing.

You mentioned "using the restroom a lot" and "reading material". As long as the reading material is not obscene or inappropriate (as in masturbation aides) and the restroom trips are not interfering with his work then move-on to bigger and better things (no pun intended).

Gene

LivindonSouth · September 2005

This is quite a phenomenon. As soon as this thread gets serious and is moving toward true resolution, it gets no responses. The poster ensures us now that she is serious. So, let's get some appropriate suggestions going. I recommend firing the man if he's found guilty.

LarryC · September 2005

Hey, at least he is using the bathroom. I once had a maintenance guy who stood in front of a female operator, dropped his trousers, and proceeded to polish his helmet. We had him out of the building before he could even get to the good part.

TN HR · September 2005

Uh, Larry, I thought we were under the understanding that as part of my separation agreement this story would not be repeated. #-o

Java HR · September 2005

I have also placed this on another forum.

One response I have gotten: "This type of behavior can escalate into sexual harassment."

If someone cannot control himself long enough to get thru the workday, what else is he capable of?

TN HR · September 2005

"This type of behavior can escalate into sexual harassment."

Its a far stretch (again, no pun intended), in my opinion. Holding my penis while urinating in the men's room could also be classified as behavior that can escalate into sexual harrasment.

Move on.

Shadowfax · September 2005

I think your only legitimate concern is whether the ee is abusing his break/bathroom time. If he is, discipline him. If not, what he does in the b-room is of no concern to HR, assuming, of course, there is no involvement of pornographic material in the workplace.

lbrenner MA · September 2005

We actually had the same problem but we had more information. We are retail store and a customer saw what the employee was doing in the stall due to the reflection from the shiny floor (No Joke!).

The employee was terminated for lewd and lecivious conduct.

Good luck!

Tony Kessler · September 2005

Java,
We have edited this thread, leaving only the replies that addressed your original question and taking out those that questioned or discussed your legitimate right to post a question. As a newsletter subscriber and Forum user, you should not have been subjected to such persistent personal attacks. On behalf of M. Lee Smith Publishers, please let me apologize for the rude treatment.

If anyone has additional advice or comments about the question you raised, I hope they will post them here. (If anyone has comments about the decision to edit out the debate about Java's legitimacy, please go to the "Using the Employers Forum" section and start a thread there.)

Tony Kessler, editorial director and this week's Forum moderator
(615) 661-0249 ext. 8068

Cheryl S SPHR · September 2005

Thank you, Tony, for getting us back on track. Here is my two cents worth on the original question. I add my apologies to Java for attacks on his/her credibility.

Would it be appropriate or possible to visit with this employee and let him know that there has been concern expressed about his activity in the company restroom. Do not accuse him of anything but let him know that all conduct on company property is subject to company scrutiny. Perhaps there is a medical issue and it is not self-gratification at all. Who knows? I'm generally for going right to the person and having as open a dialogue as possible. When you get his version, you can take appropriate steps from there. I have learned a couple of things in my years of HR -- 1. There are always two sides to every story. 2. Rumor is often much more colorful than the facts.

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

LivindonSouth · September 2005

I recently responded that perhaps a male employee should be assigned to have a frank discussion with the person. Apparently Mr/Miz Keesler thought it inappropriate. To me it makes perfect sense.

ritaanz · September 2005

Oh my, we fixed that one didn't we.

TN HR · September 2005

This is borderline censorship at its finest. Are you guys really interested in sponsoring frank, candid discussions or simply into the wanton deletion of whatever you may think will ultimately win you more dollars?

Cheryl S SPHR · September 2005

Come on folks, let's stick to the topic at hand and see if we can help. Remember -- we were asked to use a different thread for concerns on the deleted messages.

safety · September 2005

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-22-05 AT 11:47AM (CST)[/font][br][br]I opine that TN HR post # 1 just about covers the issues. If the stall is enclosed what concern is it of yours what is occurring behind the closed door unless he is not alone in the stall. How can someone say that this type of behavior can escalate into sexual harassment? To me that is a knee jerk reaction at best, one could say he will go blind if he continues but let’s see the data to prove both statements. If he is the only one involved in the act I guess he may be harassing himself. I see three issues; the first issue is that you are posing this question to us on hearsay from other employees and a cleaning person finding traces of substance in the bathroom. Has this substance been analyzed by CSI using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer or is the cleaning person an expert on the substance found? And, do you always believe hearsay or have you actually witnessed the frequency of the bathroom trips and the substance in question? Second, is the frequent bathroom visits: it could be he has a medical condition such as an enlarged prostate forcing frequent trip to urinate. It could be any number of medical conditions causing the frequent trips and a personal conversation with the individual is warranted to ‘discover’ the reason for the frequency of his bathroom visits, if in fact he is making frequent visits to the room. The third issue is the reading material. If it is indeed inappropriate for the workplace let the individual know and document the conversation. Finally, move on to other issues.

Help - We think an employee is masturbating at work!

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