Christmas and New Year celebrations
Employers' plans to reward staff for their hard work over the year offer an opportunity to provide an enjoyable social event. We round up our resources that will help employers avoid problems at the work party and manage other issues that can arise during the festive season. Our resources include research on employers' arrangements for work, rest and celebrations over the Christmas and New Year period.
Audio and video
FAQs
- Can an employer dock the pay of an employee who has arrived at work late the morning after the company Christmas party?
- How should employers treat the problem of employees not coming in to work on the day following a work-related social event?
- As Christmas is a Christian festival, can an employer still hold a Christmas party if some of its employees belong to other religions?
- What issues should employers take into account regarding the timing of a work-related social event such as a Christmas party?
- What can employers do to avoid problems arising from work-related social events?
- Can employers be held liable for harassment that takes place during a work-related social event?
- Should employers have written rules on work-related social events?
- What issues should employers take into account when organising the catering for work-related social events?
- What issues should employers take into account if inviting employees' partners to a work-related social event?
- Where an employer has provided employees with a Christmas hamper in previous years is it under any obligation to continue this practice?
- Is the company Christmas party a taxable benefit?
How to
Policies and documents
- Letter inviting staff to Christmas party
- Work-related social events policy
- Letter requiring employee to take holiday on specified dates
Law reports
- Vicarious liability: Employer liable for director's assault after work Christmas party
- Fair dismissal of employee who refused to work extra hours before Christmas
- Unfair dismissal: zero compensation for zookeeper over Christmas party fight
- Dismissal for involvement in Christmas party "wrestling match" was fair
- Fair dismissal of employee who punched colleague after Christmas party
- Next employee unfairly dismissed for refusal to work Christmas Eve shift
Tasks
- Benchmark your organisation's Christmas and New Year working arrangements against those of other employers
- Benchmark your organisation's Christmas staff celebrations against those of other employers
- Take steps to ensure acceptable conduct at work-related social events