Sexual Harassment
Having a label of a 'sexual harasser' on the job site is roughly the equivalent of being accused of being stalker/rapist and psychopath/sociopath outside the job world. It is a title that no employee in their right mind ever wants hung on them. It can easily lead to being fired, even arrested: incarceration and psychiatric assessments. It can happen innocently enough if one just starts talking to a co-worker a little too much on the job and the person in question raises a flag of sexual harassment with the bosses. This may be initially dealt with as a reprimand, but the label of a sexual harasser exists in the manager/supervisor's mind towards the person who may have just felt like they were being nice and striking up a conversation.
Workplace anti-sexual harassment laws exist for good reason. Women over the ages of the modern workforce were subjected to remarks, unwanted touching and even sexual assault and rape by co-workers, managers and other officials on the job. No employer ever wants to face the wrath of regional and federal governments over sexual harassment violations and has the latitude to deal with harassers in the most severe way. Those in charge of the workshifts also want to keep employees happy, so productivity and problems do not follow. So how does one avoid being accused of sexual harassment? Simply, do not overly talk to fellow co-workers of the opposite gender. If they talk to you, treat it as just small-talk, and keep it short. If your fellow co-workers wish you to get together with them after the job for drinking, parties-treat it as a get-together. Avoid seeking romantic opportunities.
It's best to avoid the expectation of a cheap one-night stand with somebody from work. Office romances rarely work out anyways and usually carry a steep price for a tawdry fling. If somebody asks you out, and there is some chemistry there, think it over twice. Work is your lifeblood. The person that is looking at you more than just a co-worker may use you and quickly dump you, then start treating you like a sexual harasser afterwards. Basically, you are stuck with each other on the job. They may also use you to elicit interest from somebody else (in other words, to make them jealous). They may also come on strong to you, then quickly back off for seemingly no reason. Whatever the case, the consequences are usually felt immediately and can ripple across your job site like seismic shockwaves in an earthquake.
By not showing a deep interest in them-beyond what is expected on the job-you keep it courteous and professional all the time. You just become comrades. Keeping sex and sexuality out of it allows you to move up the ranks with far fewer problems, then in an affair on the job that has the potential to go south with huge repercussions for not only you, but your job and your future.
