by Chris Catterton
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has built a reputation as one of the toughest players in the NFL, playing nearly 300 games consecutively without succumbing to injury. For the better part of two decades, Favre has held firm against opponents who have battered and trampled him but failed to stop him from running-out to play the next week. His endurance in the sport is already legendary, but his reputation is in serious peril – not by injuries to his aging body, but by allegations that he sent lewd text messages and photos to a female employee of the New York Jets when he was employed by the club two years ago.
His endurance in the sport is already legendary, but his reputation is in serious peril.
The probe into the allegations against Mr. Favre is ongoing and legal action seems eminent. However, one can only imagine what is going through the corporate minds of the New York Jets franchise. Once Jets’ executives got past the initial surprise of the allegations, the franchise has to be asking how they might have prevented this from happening, particularly since the allegations allegedly involve a staff member as an accessory. Additionally, the executive team is probably taking a very hard look at their sexual harassment policy (and other policies) to see if they are vulnerable in any way by employee action or written directive (or lack thereof).
While a very unfortunate set of circumstances for all involved, this series of alleged incidents is a stark reminder that every organization, both large and small, must have the proper policies & procedures, employee training and managerial oversight in place to dramatically reduce corporate exposure and prevent victimization. Is your “franchise” protected? The Fallston Group offers expertise in this very important area and can help – please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
Is your “franchise” protected?
