How to avoid holiday party troubles

  • Assocaited Press
  • Friday, December 5, 2014 9:24pm
  • Business

If John Olajide’s staffers have one too many at his company’s holiday party he’ll have them shuttled home in a taxi or send them to a hotel room for the night.

“If they’re at our party, we’re responsible for them,” says Olajide, the founder and CEO of Dallas software maker Axxess. “We’ll take any steps to ensure their safety.”

That’s smart policy, according to human resource and legal experts. Small business owners need to be savvy about holiday parties. Festive affairs can turn ugly when people get drunk, especially if they behave inappropriately or are involved in an accident. Employees or guests who overdo it can create legal hassles for a company even if the party is in a restaurant or hotel.

Alcohol-related accidents and deaths rise during holiday periods, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And in many states a party host, including a business owner, can be forced to pay damages if someone drinks too much and is in an accident, says Andreas Satterfield, an employment law attorney with Jackson Lewis in Greenville, South Carolina.

Although accidents can be devastating, an owner probably has more of a chance for trouble from staffers or guests who become offensive when alcohol lowers their inhibitions and they get too free with what they say and where they put their hands. If someone makes unwanted sexual advances or racist, sexist or other discriminatory comments, an owner can be sued for harassment by other staffers, Satterfield says.

Planning for a safe party needs to start well before the first martini is poured. Employees should be reminded to act professionally in advance, and managers need to know they’re responsible for how staffers behave, Satterfield says.

Inviting spouses and partners can help keep a lid on drinking, says Harley Storrings, an employment attorney with Arnstein &Lehr in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. If employees are younger and generally single, he suggests serving only beer and wine, removing the possibility of people getting drunk quickly on shots of hard liquor.

Even if there aren’t any legal problems, the fallout from bad behavior can linger. If a tipsy person insults a colleague the resulting hard feelings may hurt relationships when everyone returns to the office.

Some more tips to avoid holiday party hassles:

Don’t serve alcohol.

Make staffers and guests pay for their drinks. People are likely to drink less when they have to pay.

Shut the bar down after a specific time, like one or two hours.

Give everyone a limited number of tickets for drinks to be presented to a bartender. Be sure their names are on the tickets, and require them to present an ID card to the bartender along with a ticket. That way, people won’t be able to give tickets to one another.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

The livery on a Boeing plane. (Christopher Pike / Bloomberg)
Former Lockheed Martin CFO joins Boeing as top financial officer

Boeing’s Chief Financial Officer is being replaced by a former CFO at… Continue reading

Izaac Escalante-Alvarez unpacks a new milling machine at the new Boeing machinists union’s apprentice training center on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists union training center opens in Everett

The new center aims to give workers an inside track at Boeing jobs.

Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier

Some stores, such as Whole Foods and US Foods CHEF’STORE, informed customers that some items may be temporarily unavailable.

People take photos and videos as the first Frontier Arlines flight arrives at Paine Field Airport under a water cannon salute on Monday, June 2, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Water cannons salute Frontier on its first day at Paine Field

Frontier Airlines joins Alaska Airlines in offering service Snohomish County passengers.

Amit B. Singh, president of Edmonds Community College. 201008
Edmonds College and schools continue diversity programs

Educational diversity programs are alive and well in Snohomish County.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.