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this is my last resort

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Gin25

Junior Member
Alabama

I've had a problem at work for a few month's now and I just don't know what else to do. Posting here is my last resort. My boss is always looking at porn on the company computer (we only have one and I have to do most of my work on it). Things would kind of pop up out of nowhere and I would find downloaded videos on our media player. That's not even the bad part. It used to be just when I was running errands or after hours. Now he does while I'm in the room and thinks I'm not paying attention. I feel like I have to sit in a little corner and not even look that way if he's here. I am also afraid to confront him about it for fear of loosing my job. My husband also used to work here and the two of them didn't get along so that holds a bit of bearing too, I think. What can I do? Is it Legal for him to do this ? I just don't know what else to do!
 
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BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
Is it leagal? As long as it's not kiddie porn then yes, it's perfectly legal.

Is there something you can do about it? No, unless you go above his head and report it to your company HR or his boss.

Simple answer is that it's none of your business.
 
Have you told anyone about this? This can definitely be construed as sexual harassment and you need to take steps to stop it.

First, if you are comfortable doing so, you need to confront your boss (nicely, of course) and tell him that you have seen him looking at pornographic material on the Net, it offends you, and you'd like him to stop. If you are not compfortable talking to your boss about this, you should bring it to Human Resources or another member of the managmeent team that you trust.

HR should then immediately launch an investigation. This shouldn't be too hard as most companies can "hack" into their own computers and see what people are or have been doing.

Also, if your company has a computer usage policy, it certainly prohibits either (a) viewing porn on the company computer; or (b) using the computer for personal business; or (c) both. You need to look at that policy and see to whom you report violations (probably HR or the IT Manager), then report it.
 

Gin25

Junior Member
How can it not be my business when I am subjected to it everyday? It's offensive and he does it while I'm in the room with him. He does it on the computer that I work on every single day. It makes me uneasy and to be honest it makes me sick.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
I have to somewhat disagree, Belize. Any reasonable woman sitting in a small office with a guy who she knew was viewing porn would find it highly objectionable. Plus when she uses the computer, she's getting porn pop-ups and can easily see the trail of where he's been. Yuck.

Gin, what you need to do is complain to HR or if you have no human resources person/department, then complain to someone in more senior company management (your boss's boss perhaps) and then let them handle it. If your boss is THE boss (i.e. company owner), then I'd advise you to find another job asap. Since you aren't being directly exposed, I doubt you have any basis to pursue a formal sexual harassment complaint with the EEOC but you are certainly free to complain to them if you wish to.
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
SuzieWahoozie said:
Have you told anyone about this? This can definitely be construed as sexual harassment and you need to take steps to stop it.
Now that's interesting. From the facts presented here you can substantiate a claim of sexual Harassment. Would you then like to explain that when you have no idea what the boss is looking at ? For all we know it's pictures of Dumbo without pants.
 

Gin25

Junior Member
Thanks Beth3

It makes me feel a little better that someone sees my point of view. He's the company owner BTW so as far as complaining to his boss goes, well , I don't want to cause the man to get a divorce LOL. Thanks again!
Gin25
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
And further, why doesn't this poster install a popup blocker? Takes all of 5 minutes and then the problem's solved.

Something more is happening here.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
Why does there have to be something more?

Like I said, most women would find it disgusting to be sharing a small office with a guy who one knew was viewing porn, even if one couldn't see the screen while he was doing it. It would make most women extremely uncomfortable.
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
Sorry beth, but what proof do we, or the EEOC have that SHE didn't cruse the porn sites to substantiate a cause of action based on her husband having problems with this guy in the first place?

None. And that, dear, is what will happen. She has the choice to bring it up, change jobs, put a popup blocker on the computer and avert her eyes.
 

Gin25

Junior Member
That's the thing. I can see the computer. It's when I catch a glance at the stuff I slink off to my little corner and hang out there till he leaves. I just sit there with my back to him. But like I said earlier there are also downloaded videos on the media player, and when ever I pop in a cd or something it comes up and, let's just say that I been subjected to more body parts than I'd like to see at work......It's a small business and we only have 2 desks. 3 if you count the little one the computer sits on. I'm not the only one who has seen it. the others are guys though and they think its funny. At least until they found out he was doing it with me around. I don't have anything against it I just don't want to see it at work.
 

Gin25

Junior Member
My hubby has nothing to do with this. this started long before they started having problems and everyone at the company knows it that has seen it themselves.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
Sorry beth, but what proof do we, or the EEOC have that SHE didn't cruse the porn sites to substantiate a cause of action based on her husband having problems with this guy in the first place? Because it's not reasonable to assume she's the one cruising porn sites and if she were, that she'd fabricate a complaint that it's her boss doing it. While anything's possible, that just doesn't pass the sniff test. Also, if any kind of individual log-on is required, there may well be a record of who was on the PC and when.
 
Gin, exactly how many employees work for this company? If it's a very small company, they may not be subjected to anti-harassment laws, but that doesn't make it okay. You still need to talk to the boss about this...and look for another job. If, as you say, the office is made up of guys who laugh about this, the boss is probably oblivious to the fact that this offends anyone, including you.

As for installing a pop-up blocker, that may work IF the company allows it. My former employer had a policy that NOTHING could be installed on any computer without their knowledge or permission. If this company has the same policy, the OP is unlikely to get anywhere convincing the boss to install a pop-up blocker, as he sees no problem with the pop-ups or their content.

However, suggesting that as a compromise to the boss may work. As BB says, it'll take all of five minutes to install. I know it seems odd, but you might also suggest to the boss that he give you a "heads up" if he is going to use the computer to view objectionable material so you can make yourself scarce and find somewhere else to go to do your work.

Really, if the company is small, you aren't going to have much recourse except to work it out with your boss or find another job.

As for whether or not this can be harassment, IF the company is subject to sexual harassment/anti-discrimination laws, I still think so. Why? In order for an action to be considered sexual harassment, four things have to take place:

1. The action must be sexual in nature. Viewing porn definitely is sexual in nature.
2. The action must be unwelcome. No question here...the action is definitely unwelcome to the poster.
3. The action must create a hostile environment. No question there either...if this has brought the poster to the point where she is squeamish every time the boss gets on the computer, and slinks away to "hide in the corner," her environment is hostile.

Now, the only other question is whether or not the fourth "test" could be passed. Is this action based on the OP's gender. Probably yes. The OP doesn't specify exactly what the boss is viewing, but since all the guys in the office seem to think it's okay, I'll go out on a limb and assume the boss isn't looking at naked MEN, he is looking at naked WOMEN, which leads me to believe he is discriminatory in his porn viewing. If he looked at EVERY conceivable type of porn, maybe not, but if he is clearly only looking at women, that action is offensive to most reasonable women, and therefore shows, IMO, some gender bias.

It isn't a slam dunk, but I also don't think it's as far-fetched a claim as BB seems to think it is. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this issue, I guess. :)
 
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purple2

Member
Not commenting on the sexual harassment issue...

Just wanted to point out that this could be stopped by investing $50 in a privacy screen for the computer (can't see what's on the screen from anywhere except the seat directly facing it), and going to dowload.com and downloading spyware removers (Adaware and Spybot are good ones). Run the spyware software daily, and that should remove the porn stuff.
 

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