Avoid an HR Hangover this Festive Season

Avoiding the unwanted gift of legal problems at work Christmas celebrations

A well-run work Christmas function can be a great celebration of the year's successes and a chance for employees to unwind. Proper planning, communication and supervision are key to a safe and enjoyable event. The last thing employers need is for a joyous celebration to become an employment law or workplace safety nightmare.

Every December and January, our employment lawyers are called to help clients who have an incident to investigate, an employment law issue or even OHS concerns arising from end-of-year celebrations gone wrong.

Office holiday party incidents can create plenty of talking points—and not always in a good way. From a senior executive candidly sharing their unfiltered opinions about a director with junior staff; the all-too-frequent accusations of inappropriate physical contact; questionable Kris Kringle gift choices; and a healthcare worker who ended the night in the