I can't believe Margo just encouraged someone to sue over overhearing dirty conversations that were not even directed at the LW's ears. Unbelievable. And people wonder why goods and services are so expensive these days. It's our lawyer-happy society, folks. If something offends you, sue. Sad. Margo's other suggestions weren't good ones either - the LW just said that the supervisor is "buddy buddy" with the offending party, and HR isn't likely to side with an independent contractor over an permanent employee. She can forget about being treated fairly by this company. My advice would be to either grow a thicker skin and tough it out (this IS a temp job, after all) or start aggressively looking for another job.

You can't possibly be suggesting that a person should have to listen to sexually explicit conversations in the workplace, Matt, can you?

Matt,

I suggest you learn a little about Sexual Harrassment Laws before you say that Margo is wrong. This is classic sexual harrassment. The talk does not need to be directed at her, and actually, she does not need to let her co-worker know that he can be heard or that it's offensive (um...duh...is this guy a few cards short of a deck to not know that already) as Margo suggested. It is illegal for a company to ignore sexual harrassment and actionable if they do. I'm appalled that you think any person should have to be subjected to this type of illegal behavior in the workplace.

Instead of trying to destroy the career of a co-worker, I'd say the offended party ought to just get out of there. In the old days, sexual harrassment was something the boss did to the secretary - "sleep with me or you're fired." Now, it seems it has been expanded so that it now codifies anything that a listener finds the least bit offensive, even if not even directed in the listener's direction. Note that the letter (which I find dubious, by the way) didn't say that the guy was leaning over her cubicle wall and making disgusting remarks about her body. THAT would be sexual harassment. Why not simply chalk the man's behavior up as boorish, and then get on with life? If you people had any idea of the offensive crap I have to listen to at work, you wouldn't be coming down on me. I have long since adopted the attitude that people just need to grow thicker skins...and it's a travesty that someone's tender sensibilities being rubbed the wrong way, can now destroy entire careers.

Matt, the writer CAN'T get out because s/he needs the job. I agree it's very offensive and I'd be taking some direct action.

I'd record some of it and then go to HR with my co-workers and just say that this was typically overheard conversation. Or, even better, record it, then play it back AT TOP VOLUME in the office, the next day. Bring a boombox from home - don't let anyone see you do that - and then hit Play at some time when everyone's at their desks. Maybe put a minute of fade-in sounds to give you time to get back to your desk.

I mean... if you wanna fight fire with fire, you could have your colleagues take turns leaving explicit voice mails on his extension. If the guy is straight, and the colleagues are male, he'll freak out at hearing his exact words repeated to him by another male voice.

If it's a big company, you can put the recordings of this guy on YouTube and embarrass the hell out of the company's CEO.

I don't know if any of this stuff is ethical, but it's not strictly ethical to train a cat by squirting it with a water pistol either, because it's "non-consensual", but who cares? It's a training method that works.

Or even more direct, every time you hear him talking about this stuff just yell "SHUT UP, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT HOW YOU ____ ED HER ______!" and keep yelling so loud that he can't hear himself talk on the phone.

And why can't he just send dirty emails and text messages like everyone else???

Matt, this is sexual harrassment. It's R-rated at the very least and probably x-rated. This is unprofessional at the very least and is making co-workers uncomfortable. The employees did not sign on for this kind of sex education when they took the job. It's a hostile work place. My suggestion is that the lw record the guy's phone calls several times and then tell him the calls are being overheard and no one likes it. If he doesn't respond appropriately by stopping these explicit conversations, she should continue to record (and date) the conversations and send them to HR. She could do so annonymously if she's afraid of negative repercussions in regard to her job. But she should keep copies of all the conversations she records and their dates. She should also make a record of when and how she informs HR. In other words, she needs to document the problem and what if anything the company does to deal with it. It's not a matter of wanting or trying to destroy this guy's career. If co-workers tell him they don't like being subjected to his conversations and he ignores them, he's destroying his own career. He's the one in the wrong. Or do you think it's okay to describe your sexual exploits to all and sundry? It's not as though they can walk away. They HAVE to be there for work. He does NOT HAVE to have these conversations. He's the one making everyone else uncomfortable.

To Matt (in particular) and others: In his twisted way, the obnoxious co-worker may be deliberately conducting explicit conversations because he thinks others get off on them. If he is using a company phone instead of his cell, he is improperly using company property, and there is a record of the calls. He is also wasting time on non-company, personal matters.