or the boss could lie about his reason for firing the boyfriend.

I doubt it is always that easy if you really like someone, but regardless, they said it was not against policy so no, OP's bf did not deserve to get fired for dating them.

I saw what the boss did there. He said that it wasn't against policies because he wanted OP to confess. And OP did. So there you have it. Maybe Op will focus more on her job than screwing around trying to get a boyfriend on the job. There are plenty of fish in the sea OUTSIDE the workplace. Company relationships can land you in serious trouble.

I think its because the boss is jealous, not because it was against the rules. If it was against the rules then she should have been fired too, but she wasn't. Any sort of relationship can fail, it doesn't if its work or not work related. I know many people who met their spouse at the job, still with them and never been fired for it.

My boyfriend and I work together and everyone knows. My boss didn't care and it has never caused any problems in our relationship or for our jobs. Dating in the workplace is only a "no-no" if the company has strict policies against it. If the company didn't have a policy against it than it is nobody else's business but the two people in the relationship.

It only becomes a problem when you break up. Or do what my sister does and spend 24/7 with her bf that she also works with. :s

46, I don't think it's very fair of you to say that Op was "screwing around trying to get a boyfriend." You make it sound like Op started the job just to try and find a boyfriend and that she doesn't actually do any work and just kisses her boyfriend all day. People that end up dating someone in the office usually don't intend for that to happen or set out to try and find one. Plus as has been mentioned before it wasn't against company policy so it isn't a no-no. It sounds like you have a thing against office romances for some reason and are projecting it on Op, which isn't very nice in my opinion.

Really? They dont "intend for that to happen"? So relationships happen by "accident"? "oh i like you, i like you too lets date" is totally accidental. B/s. Look what this mess got into. Ops bf got fired. So yeah, its bad.

Relationships need consent from both parties so no it isn't an accident - but nowhere does it say OP was screwing around with her bf rather than doing her job, just that they were dating. You can still do your job perfectly well. And people don't get a job to find a relationship, but if you spend time with them you might start falling in love. And I don't understand why you are saying OP deserved it because OP is dating a colleague - because it is not against company policy. This means the company doesn't think it is a big problem. So the boss had no legal right to fire OP's bf due to them dating. It does not stand up in court. Moreover, I really don't think it is that simple as just saying 'don't date each other', if you love someone it might not be that easy, doable but not easy. Regardless it was not against policy. I have no problem with colleagues dating each other. You might but that does not mean you can tell OP off for it because OP did nothing wrong from a company point of view and the moral point is personal.

Still not a valid reason to fire someone if it is not against company policy.

If that was because of the relationship yes the OP could take it up with HR. Depending on where OP works they may have a case. Possible the boyfriend was fired for things unrelated to the relationship. Few bosses would do so knowing the nightmare they'd have.

In an at-will state they don't need to give you much of an excuse when they fire you.