The holiday season is here and that means planning office holiday parties. It’s time to pull the champagne and celebrate the season.  When it comes to holiday office planning, do not neglect the potential legal liabilities of hosting a party and proper conduct for employees at the holiday party. In the event these do transpire, business owners could receive a lawsuit for Christmas and employees run the risk of ringing in the New Year unemployed.

A recent survey from G&A Partners found that 3 out of 10 employees don’t monitor their alcohol consumption at such events.  Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to inappropriate behaviors such as unprofessional chatting (or hookups) and drunken driving. These mishaps are embarrassing at best, and at worst, can have legal and physical implications for both employees and the company. To kick-off the season, Rocket Lawyer has provided an early holiday gift by highlighting Holiday Party Do’s and Don’ts, encouraging all companies and their employees to stay on the nice list. See examples below for full list of tips. 

Holiday Party Do’s and Don’ts

• Make Your List and Check it Twice: According to Rocket Lawyer, one of the biggest mistakes small businesses make is not getting an agreement in writing – so make sure the appropriate documents for your catering company, venue, entertainment (photo booths, palm readers), etc., all are signed, sealed and delivered in advance of the event.

• Avoid Driving the Sleigh Drunk: If you are serving alcohol, encourage employees to take cabs or ride sharing services home to avoid drunk driving. A nice gift for employees would be cab vouchers at the end of the night.
• Don‘t Get Caught Underneath the Mistletoe. According to a 2013 national survey conducted by Public Policy Polling, while only 6 admit to a holiday hook up, take care not to be too boisterous or flirty at social work functions, or you might find you gave yourself the gift of a sexual harassment lawsuit.

• Get All Your Stockings in a Row. A 2014 study from Challenger and Gray found that less than 30 percent (29.4) of companies planned to hold their holiday party on-site. This is all well and good, but often event spaces will need you to release them from liability at a holiday party. If an unforeseen event occurs, such as someone slipping while dancing around the Christmas tree, you need to have liability insurance to cover it.