Connecticut Employment Law Blog Insight on Labor & Employment Developments for Connecticut Businesses

Tag Archives: holiday party

Quick Hits: Holiday Parties, HIPAA and ADA, Non-Compete Agreements, “Supervisor”, Facebook

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in CHRO & EEOC, Class Actions, Discrimination & Harassment, Litigation, Social Media

It’s been a crazy week here for reasons I hope to share in a future post. But in the meantime, the world of employment law still continues. Here are some items worth reading that I had hoped to talk about further. This brief recap will have to do for now. Want some tips on how to… Continue Reading

Last Friday Night: Holiday Parties Continue to Present Challenges To Employers

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

What is it about the holiday party that makes otherwise decent, hard-working people lose their mind? Alcohol is certainly the main reason, in my view. Open bars are invitations to lots of craziness. (Just ask Katy Perry.)   Since it is unlikely (and unrealistic) that all companies will move to “dry” parties (though some have moved… Continue Reading

The Office Holiday Party – Alcohol-Induced Stupidity Can Lead to Serious Sexual Harassment Claims

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Discrimination & Harassment, Human Resources (HR) Compliance

UPDATED There are no statistics out there to prove this point, but the traditional office holiday party has to be among the top places where claims of sexual harassment and hostile work environment start. Indeed, just a cursory look at some federal employment cases shows a common thread that run through each of them: alcohol-induced… Continue Reading

Quick Takes: Twitter for HR/Employment Law, RIFs, Parties, EFCA & Performance Reviews

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

As is typical for December, everyone is starting to wrap up for year end and the amount of substantive items to report on slows to a trickle. Thus, it’s time for some short items on a variety of employment law and HR-related topics. I’ve started microblogging at Twitter.  Don’t know what Twitter is? There’s a… Continue Reading

Holiday Office Parties: What Issues Should an Employer Be Considering?

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

Although many holiday office parties have been toned down this year (or canceled) in light of the recession, there are certainly plenty of others moving forward.  Last year, I did a series of posts on the subject from an employment law perspective.  In general, and besides the obvious sexual harassment issues that always seem to… Continue Reading

The Office Holiday Party – Over the Big Pond, a Different Type of Party

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

This month, I’ve recapped some thoughts on the office holiday party in the United States (available here, here and here.)  But by and large, holiday parties in the United States are fairly tame – particularly when compared with our friends in Great Britain.  Whether that’s through litigation or tradition is a question for sociologists, not employment law… Continue Reading

Afterward – More Holiday Party Antics

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

After my two-part series of posts on office holiday parties (here and here), I thought I would pass along a more humorous post about holiday parties.  A temporary employment firm has compiled its list of the most outrageous holiday party hijinks.  Creative Group, a temporary employment firm focused on the advertising, marketing and creative fields,… Continue Reading

Part II – Employer Liability at Office Holiday Parties – Beyond Sexual Harassment

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

Yesterday, I talked about issue spotting for holiday parties.  But what are some pro-active steps an employer can take? Well, there is no "one size fits all" approach.  Here are some suggestions to ponder that may fit for a particular employer. To Drink or Not to Drink Since alcohol can be tied to many of… Continue Reading

Part I – Employer Liability at Office Holiday Parties — Beyond Sexual Harassment

By Daniel Schwartz on Posted in Human Resources (HR) Compliance

With the Office Holiday Party scene upon us, most articles, like this one in the New York Times tend to point out the obvious risks associated with them — sexual harassment.  In my view, if employers are not aware that mixing alcohol with co-workers in a festive setting can be a recipe for harassment claims,… Continue Reading