Office Depot was in the news today for firing an executive who had, what they called, an “improper relationship” with a coworker. They said “the company has a zero tolerance policy in this regard.”

It’s common knowledge that if you date a coworker and something goes wrong, it just doesn’t go wrong; it goes horribly wrong! The workplace can turn into an awful place to work while gossip, arguments and confrontations can ruin your chances of a promotion. On the other hand, if you really find that one special person, it would be a shame if you cannot pursue the relationship due to a company policy.

Obviously, if a company has a rule and you want to work for that company, you either follow it or quit, but do you think that companies should have this rule? Can two people work together, be a couple, and behave in a professional manner? I’m not saying this would be easy, but it is possible. The question is if this should be decided by the company they work for or if romance is such a personal matter that employees should decide for themselves. So, what do you think?