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Office party pitfalls
NEW YORK -- There are legal pitfalls aplenty that employers should consider when planning an office holiday party, said the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss Hauer & amp; Feld.
Free drinks can make for amorous office mates, and regular workplace propriety can dissolve. Additionally, tipsy people can slip and fall. They might start fighting, damaging the office or rented facility.
Here are a few tips for minimizing liabilities:
UMake the party optional. People who feel obligated to attend are not a good party addition.
UAvoid flammables. You don't need candles, and people can smoke outside.
UArrange transportation. If they're going to be sloshed, don't let employees get themselves home.
UConsider the invited list carefully. Spouses and significant others can be a calming influence on some people, but they also add to the number of people who could be hurt.
Associated Press