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December 2017

Tips for Employers to Avoid Holiday Party Pitfalls

’Tis the season for the annual office holiday party. Company holiday parties are a great way for employees to unwind and celebrate the holidays; however, office parties are also ripe with potential pitfalls for employers. Here are some tips to help employers keep the office party from turning into a breeding pool for workplace harassment.

Keep The Eggnog In Check

Most often alcohol is the common denominator in office holiday party mishaps. After a couple drinks, inhibitions are lowered and employees may engage in conduct or comments that are inappropriate for the workplace. Therefore, limiting or even eliminating the amount of alcohol served at a holiday party may reduce the risk of employees behaving badly. Here are some ways employers can control alcohol consumption:

  • Hold the party on a weekday, and/or during the afternoon, as opposed to having a nighttime or weekend event.
  • Hire professional bartenders that are trained to identify intoxicated guests and will refuse to further serve them. Do not have a self-serve bar where employees make their own drinks.
  • Limit the number of drinks served by utilizing drink tickets or making it a cash bar.
  • Limit the type of alcohol served. Consider only serving beer and wine as opposed to hard alcohol.
  • Close the bar before the party ends.
  • Serve plenty of non-alcoholic drink options.
  • Designate sober employees to monitor those partaking in the drinking festivities and ensure intoxicated employees do not drive.
  • Provide safe transportation home for any intoxicated employees, including taxis, Ubers or other designated drivers.

If alcohol is going to be consumed, employers should strongly consider holding the event offsite for insurance and liability purposes.

Help Your Employees Avoid Ending Up On The Naughty List

It is critical to remind employees that, even if the party is offsite and not during working hours, they are still obligated to comply with the company’s harassment policies. Employers should recirculate the company’s harassment policy to all employees prior to the holiday party. If your company has not provided your employees with recent harassment training, this is a good opportunity to do so.

Avoid any possible triggers for bad behavior at the holiday party. For example, it is probably not a good idea to have Santa visit the holiday party and invite employees to sit on his lap, and best not to have any mistletoe. Also consider preventing dancing or any other scenario where inappropriate touching may occur.

Perhaps invite significant others or even entire families to the party. Having family present may encourage employees to remain on their best behavior.

It is also wise to keep the theme, décor and music for the holiday party non-religious. Sticking to snowmen and winter themes is the safest way to avoid offending or excluding any employees based on religious beliefs.

Even employers who take proper precautions cannot always prevent all bad behavior. Should a problem arise, it is critical that employers take any complaint seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly. Not only is a prompt and thorough response the best way to resolve a workplace issue, but it is also the best way for employers to protect themselves from having the behavior imputed to them.

Make Attendance Voluntary

If the holiday party takes place after working hours, attendance should be voluntary and work related business should be avoided so employers do not have to pay non-exempt employees for their attendance. If the holiday party takes place during the workday, employers should determine whether or not they have to pay non-exempt employees for their attendance.

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For more information, please contact the undersigned authors or attend the presentation they will be providing titled:


HOW EMPLOYERS CAN PREVENT AND PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS

During the seminar, they will discuss precautions that employers can take to prevent workplace harassment and discrimination from happening, and what steps must be taken if an employer becomes aware that harassment or discrimination may have occurred.

Date: Thursday, December 7, 2017
Time
: 8:00 - 10:00 am
Location: Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC, One Boland Drive, West Orange, NJ

REGISTER HERE
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Melissa A. Salimbene | Member | msalimbene@csglaw.com | (973) 530-2092

Lindsay A. Dischley | Associate | ldischley@csglaw.com | (973) 530-2110