As corporate cultures have become more informal, and attitudes towards workplace romances have relaxed, more and more employers are using consensual relationship agreements, or "love contracts", to help protect themselves and workers from possible sexual harassment claims. With nearly 50 percent of workers in recent surveys admitting to having had office romances in the past, employers say the use of these agreements can help maintain a healthy, productive work environment for all concerned, while protecting companies from the legal hassles of harassment claims that can arise when romances turn sour.
See "Hooking Up at Work? Attention couples: prepare to sign a 'love contract.'", David Koeppel, Newsweek, May 14, 2008