In actuality, a boss could demand that employees rise, if able, upon his or her entering the room and could even go so far as to place the edict in the employee handbook. As for the practical impact of this effort, I am sure prospective and new employees would love to learn about this expectation in order to make a decision about whether this would be the type of workplace in which the new employee belonged.

The question does raise some legal considerations. Obviously, if an employee is disabled and, therefore, cannot rise, then he or she must be accommodated such that the employee would not be required to rise upon the start of a meeting. Standing for the boss is not likely to be an essential function of any non-military employee’s job.

Public sector employees, not private sector employees, may be entitled to express their free speech rights at work and, if refusing to rise relates to a matter of public concern, then the employer would have to balance the employee’s expression against its government purpose in demanding such respect.

Ask yourself, would this CEO ultimately be prepared to fire an otherwise qualified or valuable employee, just because the employee does not rise for him or her. Compelling polite behavior — which many agree we should see more of at work and in society — is noble, but frought with unintended consequences. My advice for your daughter: You like the job and your like the company, do you really want to get unsettled over a pretty minor issue? My advice for the CEO: Be careful what you wish for, respect is ultimately earned, not compelled. It may prove more fruitful to instruct all employees on common courtesies, e.g, polite behavior, civil speech and behavior, acknowledging others, and active listening. Instead, what this CEO needs to be prepared for is one or two employees who either refuse to rise or, worse, rise to attention and click their heels together like storm troopers as part of the growing resistance movement in the workplace.