Have Yourself a Low-Risk Little Christmas: Avoiding Office Party Pitfalls

As the festive season nears, Alberta employers are busily organizing their annual office holiday parties—a time for employees to come together and reflect on the year's achievements. However, these festivities come with specific legal considerations. Here, we offer practical guidance to help employers plan holiday events that are both enjoyable and legally sound.

Know What the Law Requires of You

Even during holiday parties and other social gatherings, Alberta businesses must keep the workplace safe and free of harassment and discrimination. This duty goes beyond the office and includes any work-related events that happen off-site or after usual hours. If there is harassment, bullying, or accidents during these events or on the way to and from them, companies could be sued under occupational health and safety, human rights, or workers' compensation legislation.

Make sure to include accessibility and inclusion

Start your planning by thinking about the different needs of your employees, such as religious holidays and accommodations for people with disabilities. Pick a date that everyone can celebrate and don't make the whole thing on one religious holiday, like "Christmas." Make sure that everyone can get to the venue, even people who have trouble moving about. Also, offer a cuisine that meets a variety of dietary preferences.

Promote Drinking Alcohol Responsibly

If you offer alcohol, make sure that all of your servers are adequately trained. In addition to offering alcohol, you. should also o ffer drinks that don't contain alcohol and close the bar at least an hour before the event concludes. Think of giving out drink tickets to limit how much people can drink, or having a daytime celebration with family, which can naturally keep people from drinking too much. If someone does get drunk, the employer should pay for safe transportation home and should emergency contacts or the police if necessary.

Make sure the transportation is safe

Give people taxi chits or ride-share tickets. This lowers the chance that workers will drive home drunk, which keeps everyone safe.

Get rid of activities that are not appropriate

Stay away from activities, games or decorations that could make people act inappropriately, like mistletoe or sitting on Santa's knee.

Make sure the rules for attendance and pay are clear.

Tell your workers that going to the Christmas party is not required, especially if it happens outside of regular business hours. If any work needs to be done during the event, those hours must be paid for, which is very important.

Reinforce the rules of the company

Remind employees that the company's rules about harassment, behaviour at work, and safety are still in effect before the event. You can send this reminder by email or in a meeting. Also, make sure to stress the rules on using alcohol and marijuana at work gatherings. Management should set an example by being professional at all times during the party.

Careful planning and proactive measures are crucial in managing the risks associated with office holiday parties. With the right preparation, employers can host successful events that celebrate the past year without facing unexpected legal issues.

f you have more questions or need assistance, reach out to Mint Legal for professional guidance.