Toronto, ON — February 11th, 2026 — This Saturday is Valentine’s Day, a date circled on everyone’s calendar for roses, chocolates, and romance. But what happens when the roses are delivered from the cubicle next door? Navigating workplace romances doesn’t need to be difficult for employers. Our workplaces have always been a place where people meet, get to know each other, and in some cases, fall in love.
Here are our tips and tricks for you this Valentine’s Day, as you navigate Cupid’s arrows as an employer.
1) Workplace Relationships Happen. Deal with It.
Employees often spend more waking hours with colleagues than with anyone else in their lives. Chemistry happens — sometimes instantly, sometimes over time. Unless your policies say otherwise, romantic relationships between consenting colleagues don’t have to be an issue. As we know from Reilly v. Steelcase Canada Ltd., 1979 CarswellOnt 911, a case heard in the 1970s, there is no “cause” to dismiss an employee just because they are having a romantic relationship with another colleague. Unless there is truly a workplace conflict (more on these later) or a breach of company policy, your employees’ private lives are their own.
If you’re concerned about workplace relationships, employers can adopt policies requiring reasonable disclosure or clearly restricting certain relationships (e.g., between managers and their reports). The key is deciding what makes sense for your workplace and giving your managers and employees clear expectations to help them navigate office romances.
2) Conflict of Interest is Still a Problem, Even with a Dozen Roses.
Though generally romance between consenting colleagues isn’t an offence, there is one major exception. Romance between a manager and a subordinate can raise red flags.
In Reichard v. Kuntz Electroplating Inc., 2011 ONSC 7460, the Court excoriated a manager for his liaisons with his a subordinate employee, which included trying to transfer her to be under his direct control and giving her glowing reviews without disclosing his conflict of interest:
To continue his romantic affair with his direct subordinate without reporting it, to continually deny the affair to his employer, to take extended lunches frequently and flagrantly with Ms. Thompson in front of others in his department, obviously a breach of the company lunch hour time limit policy, to recommend Ms. Thompson for a transfer to his department where she would be under his direct control, to give glowing work related reports in relation to Ms. Thompson at informal meetings with his superiors and while under suspension to twice disobey orders to stay away from the plant, paints the picture of an employee who Kuntz had every right to no longer trust.
Whether or not you have a written policy, conflicts of interest arising from romantic relationships are real. Love is not blind when it comes to real or perceived conflict – whether it’s a promotion, a performance review, or a pay bump. Where there is a direct reporting relationship or one romantic partner has authority over the other in the workplace, it’s a problem. In your workplace, the stakes are operational, legal, and reputational.
Employees should be encouraged to disclose conflicts immediately, whether set out in a policy or generally known practice. Once disclosed, employers must act: reassigning roles, restructuring reporting lines or in some cases ending employment. Whatever the outcome, it is important to address and protect against the conflict, real or perceived, or to find a solution that will work in your workplace. Failure to address conflicts can damage employee morale, trust and operational integrity.
3) Company Time and Company Resources are for the Company – Not Courtship
Though romance between consenting colleagues may be allowed, an employer does not need to approve the use of Company resources for romantic purposes. Extended lunch breaks, scheduled “business meetings” offsite without a business objective (in the literal sense), expensed work trips together for “business purposes”, and expensed meals together without a client or business purpose in sight are all things that undermine productivity, misuse resources and erode the trust required in the employment relationship.
4) The Break-Up – What’s Your Plan?
Of course, not all romantic relationships end in happily ever after. When colleagues break up, it’s important that everyone be on the same page – the romantic drama is not to evolve into workplace drama. If it does, make sure your employees are informed that however they work through their split, the office is a place for professionalism. Bullying, harassment (including sexual harassment), toxicity, avoidance, and reprisal (such as a demotion the Court contended with in Shirbigi v. JM Food Services Ltd., 2014 CarswellBC 3025) are not appropriate – not with colleagues, not during work time, and not all over social media where it can bleed back into the workplace.
Swipe Left, Swipe Right? What do I do?
Addressing workplace romance doesn’t need to be overcomplicated. Like all great relationships (including the employment relationship), it just requires clear communication. Employers should:
- Figure out their expectations on what they will and won’t permit when it comes to workplace relationships, being reasonable. Its not one size fits all, but there are limits;
- Communicate those expectations with employees clearly and regularly;
- Build a workplace culture of transparency around conflicts of interest, including romantic ones;
- If it makes sense for you, put your expectations into policy, including your general expectations, the lines you do not want crossed, and the methods by which employees are meant to disclose conflict in romantic relationships (conflicts of interest, breakups, or any other complication that is brought into the workplace);
- Address the impacts of romantic relationships (or their end) in your workplace promptly and professionally. This doesn’t mean its time for gossip, but rather thoughtful, professional and measured solutions in the circumstances; and
- Celebrate (responsibly)! Meeting at work is a time-tested relationship starter, and one that history shows can result in meaningful, joyous and long-lasting relationships. This is a good thing, and it can be done right!
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Protea LLP team!
