As the David Letterman saga plays out, employers across America should take some time to think about the dynamics of relationships between the top boss, say a CEO, and his or her subordinates, and how these dynamics play out in the workplace.
While a celebrity scandal won’t come across most attorneys’ desks, most management lawyers will handle sexual harassment suits. (There have been no harassment allegations made against Letterman, host of CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman.”) Some of those suits will involve full-blown crises. For example, what is the proper response from a lawyer when the BlackBerry buzzes and an e-mail from the vice president of human resources says that an employee is accusing the boss of sexual harassment? What is the framework that should be laid out before the call? What does the lawyer need to know, from a legal and PR standpoint?
