Early in my career, I heard a phrase spoken by a family court judge that has stuck with me throughout my professional career. While he was speaking about matters that had been brought to him in court, I’ve found the saying to be just as applicable to situations I’ve seen in the workplace by being part of Human Resources. In speaking about the plethora of things he had seen over the course of his career this judge said, “I am no longer surprised, but often appalled“. I’ve used this phrase on countless occasions. Here is a story about one of those times.
Remember, all the information in this blog post is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. I am not an attorney, nor do I provide legal advice. The information provided is my personal opinion and not that of any organization, business, company, agency or other individuals. The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this article. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney who specializes in your subject matter. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website (www.hrraw.com), is strictly at your own risk.
Penny Horton | December 10, 2018
Just before Thanksgiving here in the US, I wrote an article with some helpful reminders for employers about what they need to know during the upcoming holiday season. It answered some of the common questions I receive during this time of year.
Many of you will be attending company Christmas or Holiday parties over the next couple of weeks. So what better time than now to share the story of one of the most memorable Christmas parties I’ve ever attended?
Like most other HR professionals and company legal counsel I know, I dread company parties that involve alcohol. There is so much liability for the employer not only during the party but after the party as well. As such, we typically try to put in safeguards like not allowing minors, drink limits, and providing transportation to help mitigate the risk. But those efforts are never foolproof; and sometimes, like this night in question, they
There were about 850 guests in attendance at this particular party. All employees were invited and they were allowed to bring with them one adult guest. The party was held in the large banquet hall of a casino. A fun evening was planned that included dinner, games, door prizes, pictures, mingling, live music, contests, dancing, and special performances.
The chief executive officer of the company felt very adamant that employees should be encouraged to have a festive time and insisted on giving out 4 drink tickets to each guest and he had even splurged to fully stock the bar with premium beer, wine, and LIQUOR.
So of course, in our attempt to mitigate risk the HR team and the party planning committee took several proactive steps including securing rooms at the adjacent hotel at a discounted rate for employees, arranging prepaid vouchers to the local taxi service so employees could have a safe ride home, posting signs at every drink station about drinking responsibly and getting a safe ride home and posting security guards throughout the venue.
My biggest fear was of course alcohol related. I was mostly worried that someone would have too much to drink and then end up either getting a DUI or involved in a vehicle accident. And while the alcohol most certainly had an impact….as was evident from the female sitting in the hallway sobbing uncontrollably, to the supervisor who got too handsy with a co-worker in front of his own spouse, to the two gentlemen who got into a physical altercation over a female and had to be escorted from the premises, that was by no means the most alarming concern of the evening.
Reports came out afterward that a group of female employees held an afterparty in one of the hotel rooms. Apparently, these employees had purchased methamphetamines and then invited several other guests from the party to join them as they partied way into the early morning hours.
As you can imagine time, effort, resources and energy had to spent by several individuals following the events that transpired that night. Corrective actions had to be implemented, investigations conducted, policies revised, and risk had to be mitigated and despite all that, reputations still ended up being tarnished, feelings hurt and an otherwise truly festive and enjoyable employee celebration overshadowed.
And as such, as you can probably imagine, as an HR professional, I still dread having to manage a company Christmas party that involves alcohol!
Reality Check
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