If you have sex with your boss should you expect to be sacked?

First it was a married insurance chief executive's affair with a junior member of staff.

His reputation was damaged and she left the company "to avoid any apparent conflict of interest".

The insurance company actually has a policy that bans long-term relationships between executives and their direct subordinates.

Then came a woman at a City asset management company who accidentally emailed the entire firm about her intimate rendezvous with a senior colleague.

She offered to resign, he didn't. So, if you have sex with a superior at work, is it a fair cop to be sacked when you're rumbled? I went to the City to ask what Londoners think.

No
Tom, 39, banker
I dated my boss for a while in a previous job and it was great. Business trips took on a whole new meaning. She wasn't the reason I left the company, either.

No
Marcus, 24, retail assistant
Surely if you sleep with your boss, you should expect to get a promotion, not get sacked — depending on how good the sex is, of course.

Yes
Chris, 27, banker
It does happen. There were rumours in my office once that a girl was being sent applications for new jobs by her boss. They would turn up in her in-box every day after she and her boss shagged.

No
Sarah, 29, publisher
It ought to be the other way around. It should be the boss that gets sacked for abusing their position of power, but I suppose it never really works like that.

No
Nadia, 29, accountant
Expecting to get sacked if you had sex with your boss would ruin so many opportunities for relationships. Lots of people meet their partners at work and one person is often more senior.

Yes
Erin, 26, accountant
I had sex, not with my direct boss, but someone above me at work. Fortunately, I'm actually leaving next month anyway because I don't think it would go down too well if anyone found out. He has a girlfriend.

No
Sherene, 33, restaurant manager
I married my boss, so no. Usually, if anything, it helps you get promoted.

No
Jessica, 28, production assistant
It definitely shouldn't happen. Although, an
ex-colleague of mine walked out of work because our boss thought she was in love with him. He was a bit nuts and had this weird idea and she felt she had to leave as a result.

Yes
James, 22, student
It shouldn't happen, but you have to be so careful. If you had sex with your boss and it got awkward in the office, they would probably start looking for reasons to get rid of you.