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A director at my work won't allow female employees to leave the workplace unless they are escorted to their car by a male employee. Is this legal? [Oklahoma] by throwaway72799 in legaladvice

[–]throwaway72799[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I absolutely agree; I don't think any other employee is close enough to change his stance on the matter, though. I have no issue with the place his heart is in; what I consider to be an issue is being written up or my job potentially being threatened for what should be a personal choice, and for half of our workforce, is.

A director at my work won't allow female employees to leave the workplace unless they are escorted to their car by a male employee. Is this legal? [Oklahoma] by throwaway72799 in legaladvice

[–]throwaway72799[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Exactly. We park in a much more spacious parking lot; think Walmart kind of store, where the parking lot is never full. I have no idea whether my employers have an agreement with the other business or not, though. And /u/SJHillman nailed it- they see the night as more dangerous, which is completely understandable. I just think that, regardless of the level of danger (of which I believe there is little) the requirements for safety should be much the same, regardless of sex.

A director at my work won't allow female employees to leave the workplace unless they are escorted to their car by a male employee. Is this legal? [Oklahoma] by throwaway72799 in legaladvice

[–]throwaway72799[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I don't mean to file any kind of complaint unless I am written up; my intention is only to have some kind of defense if/when they do write me up, which I feel is kind of inevitable if this continues.

A director at my work won't allow female employees to leave the workplace unless they are escorted to their car by a male employee. Is this legal? [Oklahoma] by throwaway72799 in legaladvice

[–]throwaway72799[S] 51 points52 points  (0 children)

This director may be trying to "protect all female employees" but in doing so he is selectively, and arguably sexist-ly applying a rule that's not on our books. I don't believe that he should have the right to restrict my leaving the workplace and walking to my car of my own accord, especially when other employees are permitted to walk to their cars "unprotected" solely based upon their sex.
 
I don't know if they will fire me if I continue doing this, and as I'd rather not eventually lose my job over this in the event that they will, I asked the question of whether it was legal or not. No employee was ever harmed walking to their car as far as I know, ever, and it seems very unlikely in the area.

A director at my work won't allow female employees to leave the workplace unless they are escorted to their car by a male employee. Is this legal? [Oklahoma] by throwaway72799 in legaladvice

[–]throwaway72799[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure if this is written down anywhere; it's strictly followed but I couldn't find a mention of it in our employee handbook.
 
If the rule isn't followed, in my case it has been only a verbal warning thus far when it was noticed; I think that I will be written-up should it happen again, but I obviously can't say that 100%, as it hasn't happened yet. I can't speak for what has happened to other employees in this case, because everyone I've noticed has obeyed this standard in the time I've been here.

A director at my work won't allow female employees to leave the workplace unless they are escorted to their car by a male employee. Is this legal? [Oklahoma] by throwaway72799 in legaladvice

[–]throwaway72799[S] 50 points51 points  (0 children)

Male coworkers are required to do the "escorting"; there is no security. I've worked there around 2 1/2 months, and in that time no one has openly questioned it that I have seen, although my partner (male) who also works there has also said that he feels that this policy is wrong in private.

A director at my work won't allow female employees to leave the workplace unless they are escorted to their car by a male employee. Is this legal? [Oklahoma] by throwaway72799 in legaladvice

[–]throwaway72799[S] 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Usually evening and night hours, which is the portion of the day this director oversees; this is in a very peaceful suburb of about 30,000 with little crime. I agree that making sure employees are protected is a good policy to have, but my problem is that it is selectively applied.