In “Legally Blonde,” Reese Witherspoon’s
hairdresser catches the eye of her crush, the sexy delivery driver.
In spite of starting with an awkward misfire with the
hairdresser smacking the delivery driver in the nose, the plan
ultimately works and the two are seen together as a happy couple by
the end of the movie. Unfortunately, in the real world,
relationships between employees and vendors can result in legal
liability much the same way as relationships between coworkers.
Happy couples become unhappy couples creating an environment ripe
for bickering, gossip, and harassment.
Vendor’s employees also present risks in arenas outside of
harassment. Any type of misconduct in which they engage, whether
theft, threats of violence, or simply not doing their jobs to the
expected level, must be addressed. Retail managers do not
have the time and labor to go behind vendor employees and restock a
poorly stocked shelf. They cannot ignore shoplifting by vendors any
more than
