FROM THE PRESiDENT
The joy, and sometimes excesses, of the holidays are
just around the corner! How time flies! It is important
to remember the liabilities that can surround the
well-meaning spread of holiday cheer. Holiday parties
are a great way to celebrate the successes from the past
year and to thank your employees for their hard work.
However good the intention, employers should use care
and caution when planning company sponsored events.
Can you reduce the risk of liability at a holiday
party and still have a fun-filled celebration? Yes, you
can. With thoughtful planning and communication, your
employees can reap the rewards of a job well done and
share holiday cheer with their peers. Here are some
helpful hints you might want to take into consideration
when planning this year's holiday party.
Let your employees know that attendance at the
celebration is voluntary, although they're encouraged to
attend, attendance is not required. If you hold the
celebration during working hours, you will have to pay
the employee for the time attending. If the party is
outside of regular work hours and attendance is
communicated as voluntary, you do not have to pay an
employee for attendance.
Employers are faced with the question of whether or
not to serve alcohol at their holiday party. If you
decide to serve alcohol, here are some general
guidelines to consider:
- Inform your employees in advance that the
company will not tolerate underage drinking and if
an employee who is a minor drinks at a holiday
party, they may be terminated.
- Make it clear to all employees before the party
that they must limit their consumption of alcohol
and that you don't expect anyone to drive who is
under the influence of alcohol.
- Consider making cab vouchers or designated
drivers available to employees.
- Make sure that the company provides a wide
variety of non-alcoholic beverages and serves plenty
of food.
- You can also sponsor an alcohol-free
celebration; Alcohol is not a pre-requisite to a
festive event.
You may consider veering away from the traditional
seasonal celebration and offer some alternative
celebrations for your employees. Some suggestions
include, a holiday brunch catered on-site during
business hours, a charitable drive such as the Salvation
Army's Angel Tree where employees can adopt a family in
need, or a pot-luck luncheon where employees can
showcase their culinary skills.
Some employers opt not to give a holiday celebration
but choose to have a New Year Kick-Off Party - a party
that not only thanks employees for a great year, but
also motivates them to continue their hard work in the
New Year. This type of celebration reduces the religious
overtone of a holiday party and for the party
coordinator, makes it easier to schedule since they're
not competing with the multiple priorities and
commitments employees face during the busy holiday
season.
Employees and employers alike want to celebrate the
season and should be able to do so. Proper communication
and careful consideration of what is appropriate for you
as an employer should be as important as the celebration
itself. Take the time to plan something nice to thank
your employees and keep these hints in mind, then ENJOY.
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