Company Christmas party...open bar, or no?

Food and beer for sure, but what about booze? Gonna be about 35 of us? All over the age of 21.

Am I opening myself up to headaches, in the event of an accident on the way home?

 

Offer to pay their ride share (Uber/Lyft) to cover your ass. Run it by your HR and have them send out a memo about enjoying the time responsibly.

As an employee, I watched lots of office drama and headaches unfold at open bar events.

Now as a small business owner, I give out Hams with a small dinner for my guys. A couple 12 packs and some good music.


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Cash bar...ok. Employee did it to themselves

Open bar....employer helped it along.


A friend of ours just had an event with beer and some booze but quantity was limited and once it was gone, it’s gone. Also had plenty of water and soda to offset some things.

 

Last company I worked for did open bar for the Christmas party for 4 years. Three of those years saw an HR complaint filed after the party with one year including a police report. So they stopped.

 

5 ~ 10 years ago I'd say "Hell yeah." Now, no freakin' way. Cops, lawyers, stupid employees. . . no way.

 

No way I would do it as the business owner, even non drinkers go full retard when it’s free. I’ve been to a few golf tournaments where they offer the free Uber or Lyft code. It seems like a good idea but I’m not sure if it clears you of anything legally.

 

Provide everyone with three or four free drink tickets then they pay for the rest. Compromise.

 

Y'all some Scrooge as muhfuhs. I say go for it. The entertainment would be priceless.

 

and if someone crashes into a bus load of jesus nuts headed to choir practice, the lawsuits would be priceless.

No way I'd leave myself open to all the shit that can come from being Boozeclaus anymore.

 

Somebody will over do it if the booze is free. If the liability is yours then no.

 

Deposit refunded at the door. Stops you from paying for no shows.

2 alcohol drink tickets per person. People that don’t drink or only want one drink will share extra tickets with those that want more, so that is plenty to provide. Let them pay cash after that.

 

I've worked at my company for 15 years and every year it has been open bar. They will always reimburse us for an uber or taxi home.

 

My employer gives each employee a set amount of cash at the door when you enter. Spend it at the bar on drinks...fine. Put it in you pocket and take it home...fine. You (the employee) are responsible for yourself.

 

The two drink tickets seems to be the way to go nowadays, that's what my company has been doing for a few years now

 

Is the company really liable if people leave drunk and get into an accident? What's the difference in that and drinking over at a friend's house who gives you free drinks and then you leave? I always like people watching at the company Christmas parties. Same people always get drunk as a bicycle with flip flops and proceed to be the entertainment

 

That may be a state dependent issue, but the cost to defend makes the risk unacceptable.

 

I say go for it.

Don’t forget the 8-ball in the bathroom, too.

 

My brother used to manage a record store back in the early '80s. That actually was part of the party supplies.

 

Does the company have to help pay child support if somebody gets knocked up? Better fill a punch bowl with condoms.

 

The company I currently work for does the open bar for the Christmas party. However, it's held at a hotel and they will pay for the room if you want to stay or a taxi/Uber/Lyft how if you desire. Hell, every event my company holds has an open bar and it always offers the free ride home to anyone that attends.