DOL Publishes A Safe and Sober Message About Workplace Parties and Drinking

The U.S. Department of Labor has published a message regarding safe and sober workplace parties.


Employers and employees always gather together in their workplace to have a party, while holding a party means lots of music, food and drinks. People have different ideas whether it is appropriate of drinking alcoholic beverages at workplace parties. Ignoring the possibility that some employees or guests may drive home "under the influence" invites trouble.


If alcohol is used improperly, employers may expose to laws such as liability under tort, workers compensation, etc. For instance, an employer may be held liable if a person have a heavy drink at a company-sponsored party and unfortunately causes a crash. ome employers have been held liable because negligent acts by employees under the influence of alcohol consumed at employer-sponsored events were found to be within the scope of their employment. If an employer does decide to provide or allow alcoholic beverages at an office event, state laws regarding their use and resulting employer legal responsibilities should be consulted and addressed. Also, there are several measures employers can take in attempt to minimize any negative consequences of alcohol consumption.



Depending on the nature of their business, some employers may have additional incentives to ensure their employees are educated about the potential legal vulnerabilities associated with impaired driving. Employers whose businesses serve or sell alcohol may be held liable if an individual consumes alcohol at their establishment and subsequently causes a crash. Employers with employees who drive as part of their job-such as couriers, delivery persons and sales representatives-may also be subject to legal action if the impaired employee causes a crash while conducting business. These employers must consider the costs of insuring and maintaining company vehicles, in addition to the time managers spend taking care of these procedures. The return on investment for employer-sponsored impaired driving prevention is considerable when compared to the financial burden caused by just one crash, especially for small businesses.

The good news is that employers have enormous power to protect their businesses from the negative impact of impaired driving by educating employees about its harmful effects and supporting efforts to prevent it in their communities. By doing so, employers do more than just safeguard their business assets-they contribute to the nationwide campaign to eliminate a devastating and preventable crime and play a part in making their communities safer for their friends and families and those of their employees.

Our safety labor law poster site shaing knowledge about updated labor law news and provding all in onelabor law poster