Contact: Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP (Missouri, USA)
The holiday season is drawing near. Employers often sponsor holiday parties and provide alcohol at these functions. A common concern among employers is their potential liability for furnishing alcohol to their guests should the guest be involved in a vehicle accident afterwards.
Following are some general guidelines to help reduce or minimize potential liability.
- Don’t charge admission; if you do, make it a nominal amount.
- Don’t conduct any business at the function; make it a social event.
- Don’t require attendance by employees; make it voluntary.
- Don’t hold it on your premises; have it off-site.
- Don’t hold it during normal business hours; have it after-hours.
- Use a paid non-employee bartender who also supplies the alcohol.
- Don’t allow guests to “BYOB.”
- Don’t allow unlimited alcoholic drinks; consider using drink tickets.
- Offer non-alcoholic beverages and food to slow alcohol absorption.
- Don’t continue to serve alcohol to an intoxicated guest.
- Don’t serve alcohol to underage guests; require ID if in doubt.
- Close the bar an hour or so before the end of the party.
- Don’t allow employees to return to work afterwards.
- Don’t allow employees to operate employer-owned vehicles afterwards.
- Provide designated drivers and/or taxicabs.
If you have any questions or need assistance regarding legal issues related to holiday parties, please contact Sue Willman.
