Articles Discussing Holiday Parties In The Workplace.

Littler Lounge: Festive Compliance – Unwrapping Holiday Parties, Bonuses, and Workplace Cheer

The holidays are here, and so are the workplace traditions that make this season sparkle. Hosts Claire Deason and Nicole LeFave, joined by Littler Shareholder Charlotte Main, dive into the practical realities of the holiday season for employers

This time of year, there’s no shortage of twinkling lights and memories of corporate holiday parties gone wrong. While pop singers belt out their most festive tunes, here are some tips to make sure your office holiday party stays out of legal trouble.

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, the first frost has turned to the first snow (at least here in the Upper Midwest), and Michigan has beaten Ohio State (again), the transition to holiday season is underway, and everyone can resume their favorite December debate. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not: 

In this episode, Jen and one of Shaw Law Group’s favorite employment attorneys, Erika Frank, discuss the potential risks associated with the holidays.

For many, December is a joyful time of year, full of parties, dinners, and decorations. Yet those same festivities make December a busy time of year for us at Shaw Law Group, as we field all kinds of holiday-season-related questions from our clients. This year, we’ll share some of those questions with our faithful blog readers in a December series we’re calling the “Holiday Hotline”! Today, we’ll tackle a few questions about workplace holiday parties…

As the end of the year approaches, many employers are preparing for the annual office holiday party. This occasion presents an opportunity for employers to express appreciation for the hard work performed by staff all year. In turn, many employees appreciate the chance to interact with their coworkers outside the hectic workday.

Holiday parties are a great way to show appreciation to employees for dedication and hard work. But they can also expose employers to liability for harm caused by employees who become intoxicated during the festivities.

As the holidays rapidly approach, employers are typically preparing for office festivities.

The end of the year brings many reasons to celebrate, and most employers intend to make merry by hosting a holiday party of some sort. This occasion presents an opportunity for employers to foster team spirit and express appreciation for the hard work performed by staff all year. In turn, employees appreciate the chance to interact with their coworkers outside the hectic workday.

After San Francisco passed its Formula Retail Employee Rights Ordinances in November of 2014, making it the first jurisdiction to impose scheduling requirements on private employers, predictive or fair scheduling laws were considered in various jurisdictions throughout the United States, but failed to take hold. That remained true until 2017, when fair scheduling laws spread to the cities of San Jose, California; Emeryville, California; Seattle, Washington; and New York City, New York. With Oregon becoming the sixth jurisdiction to adopt predictive scheduling requirements—and the first to do so on a statewide basis1 —predictive or fair scheduling is threatening to rival paid sick leave in breadth and complexity.

Executive Summary: Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, employers will be tasked with planning a variety of holiday gatherings to celebrate the season. Employers may want to make a list and check it twice to ensure that their holiday get-togethers do not run afoul of federal and state discrimination laws.

The end of the year brings many reasons to celebrate, and the vast majority of employers intend to make merry by hosting a holiday party of some sort. This occasion presents an opportunity for employers to foster team spirit and express appreciation for the hard work performed by staff all year. In turn, employees appreciate the chance to interact with their coworkers outside the hectic workday.