With office parties set to kick off in the coming weeks, a timely reminder from Emily Dempster in this article on ten things employers should do to avoid Christmas party disaster; including “specify clear start and end times of the function and ensure alcohol is not served after the end time”.
“Employers can minimise their risk of harm to reputation and brand and risk of vicarious liability for an employee’s out of hours behaviour, by having a suitable workplace code of conduct and social media policy…,” writes Noella Silby of MDC Legal.
“Approaching performance management in a considered way that is clearly communicated and documented… will minimise the risk of claims,” writes the MDC Legal team and MDEB Perth workshop facilitators, “and if claims are made the employer will be better placed to defend them”.