WWE Established A Consensual Relationship Policy In 2023
As of June 2023, WWE introduced a consensual relationship policy.
Content warning; discussion of alleged sexual assault
One year after alleged sexual misconduct from disgraced former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, the market leader established a consensual policy for sexual and romantic relationships in the workplace.
In a new report from POST Wrestling's John Pollock and Wrestlenomics' Brandon Thurston, June 2023 saw WWE implement a three-page policy - which Pollock and Thurston have obtained - stating, amongst other things:
"WWE strongly discourages consensual relationships involving any WWE Board Member, or executive team member, such as the CEO, President, CFO, Chief Content Officer, Chief Legal Officer, or Chief Human Resources Officer."
From reaching out to current and former WWE employees, Pollock and Thurston were informed that there was no recollection of any specific policies addressing consensual relationships that predate this June 2023 one.
As part of their research on the matter, John Pollock and Brandon Thurston reached out to experts in this particular field, Dr. Lisa Mainiero - Professor of Management at Fairfield University - and Prof. Michael Z. Green, who is Director of the Workplace Law Program at Texas A&M University's School of Law.
Dr. Maniniero noted how only about 30% of corporations have consensual romance policies, and how some organisations have a "love contract" where the two involved parties meet with HR and state the relationship is consensual. If any harassment occurs, that's reported to HR, and the employee is protected by the company.
On WWE's policy including a "Consensual Relationship Acknowledgement" form, Prof. Green said this was "okay" "but inadequate", and pointed out how the lack of any mention of "hierarchical relationships" - where one party is directly higher up the company ladder than the other - was a "conflict of interest".
This policy also doesn't give specifics on the punishments handed out to those who violate it, bar a generic "may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination" line.
For those interested in the full details of WWE's consensual relationship policy, more expert insight from Dr. Mainiero and Prof. Green, and analysis from John Pollock and Brandon Thurston, we'd fully recommend heading over to POST Wrestling. While the subject is clearly a delicate, troubling one, John and Brandon continue to do excellent work in digging underneath the service on this wider matter.
January saw Vince McMahon forced to resign in disgrace for a second time after former WWE employee Janel Grant alleged sexual, physical, and emotional abuse from McMahon and John Laurinaitis between 2019 and 2022. Regardless of WWE implementing rules on consensual relationship, the lawsuit brought by Ms. Grant clearly states how the acts of McMahon and Laurinaitis happened without consent.