WWE developed consensual relationships policy in June 2023

WWE's policy on consensual relationships has been made public. 

On Tuesday, Brandon Thurston and John Pollock published a three-page document detailing the company's stance on romantic or intimate relationships in the workplace. 

The policy was developed in June 2023, while Vince McMahon served as WWE's executive chairman. 

It reads:

To promote a productive environment, free from conflicts, as well as favoritism and unfair advantage, whether perceived or real, WWE has implemented the following policy and guidelines related to consensual relationships in the workplace. This policy applies to all employees, regardless of rank or title.

All employees should recognize the possible negative consequences of romantic, intimate, or sexual relationships in the workplace. Consensual relationships can compromise the integrity of supervisory responsibility, create the potential for abuse of authority or cause problems due to perceptions of favoritism by others. This policy prescribes actions required to address conflicts, and further specifies the situations where consensual relationships are prohibited.

A consensual relationship refers to any relationship that is romantic, intimate, or sexual in nature and to which the parties consent. Consensual relationships that might be acceptable in other circumstances may not be appropriate if one of the parties has institutional responsibility, authority or influence over the other or is involved in evaluation of the other.

Situations covered by this Policy are distinguishable from sexual harassment, which is covered in WWE's policy on Equal Opportunity and Non-Harassment which can be found on The Ring.

Requirements for Employees in a Consensual Relationship.

If an employee is entering, or in, a consensual relationship with another employee, both employees must:

Report the relationship to Human Resources; and

Cooperate in actions taken to address any conflict of interest.

It may be necessary for the executive or manager to assist Human Resources in assessing and addressing any conflict. Addressing conflicts may include:

Transferring one of the individuals to another position; or

Transferring supervisory, decision-making, evaluative, or advisory responsibilities; or

Providing an additional layer of oversight to the supervisory role.

After any conflict is addressed, the employee(s) who have entered a consensual relationship will certify that they have reviewed and understand the Consensual Relationship Policy and agree to the requirements and expectations of WWE as it pertains to professionalism. (See below.)

Affiliated Individuals

WWE has relationships with "affiliated individuals" meaning independent contractors (including but not limited to WWE Talent, Vendor Contractors and Freelancers), interns, temporary workers, vendors, and others with whom it contracts. Any employee who has a consensual relationship with an affiliated individual must abide by the Consensual Relationship Policy with respect to the affiliated individual.

Prohibitions Regarding Consensual Relationships

Consensual relationships are prohibited when effective arrangements to address the conflict cannot be made.

An employee shall not conduct performance evaluations, or make decisions regarding salary, promotion, tenure, or continuation of employment for a person with whom he or she has or had a consensual relationship.

An employee shall not exercise responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or supervisory) for any affiliated individual with whom the employee has or had a consensual relationship.

WWE strongly discourages consensual relationships involving any WWE Board Member, or executive team member such as the CEO, President, CFO, Chief Content Officer, Chief Legal Officer, or Chief Human Resources Officer.

These relationships in particular can compromise the integrity of supervisory responsibility and create the potential for abuse of authority or perceptions of favoritism. In the event an executive team member is involved in such a consensual relationship, it must be disclosed in writing to the Lead Independent Director of the Board, in addition to the Chief Human Resources Officer. In the event a WWE Board member is involved in such a consensual relationship, it must be disclosed in writing to the CEO and Chief Legal Officer, in addition to the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Employees are encouraged to report any concerns about anything contained in this policy, any violation of law or WWE policies, or any ethical concerns. You can reach our hotline via a secure website anytime at I or through a dedicated telephone number available 24/7/365, I

Retaliation against employees who report concerns about consensual relationships is prohibited and constitutes a violation of this policy.

Failure to Comply

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Post Wrestling spoke with Dr. Lisa Mainiero, Professor of Management at Fairfield University, about the policy. Mainiero has authored several books related to gender and power dynamics in professional settings. She says WWE's policy does not go far enough. 

“This is an ‘okay’ policy, better than most, but still inadequate,” she said after reviewing the document. “However, [WWE] did not address the issue of hierarchical relationships,” where one person in the relationship is subordinate to the other, which are certainly a conflict of interest.”

Post also spoke with Michael Z. Green, Director of the Workplace Law Program at Texas A&M University’s School of Law about the policy. He also stated the policy does not for far enough, particularly those under the heading "Prohibitions Regarding Consensual Relationships.”

 “[I]t should say that if any such officer seeks to engage in a consensual relationship with a subordinate or does engage in a purported consensual relationship with a subordinate, the WWE can consider such action as bad judgment warranting cause for immediate termination from the executive position the person holds.”