Employers organising out-of-office Christmas parties still need to be aware of their health and safety responsibilities to staff, warns an employment lawyer.
Regardless of where that event takes place, and whether it's inside or outside a company's normal working hours, owners and senior managers could be liable if a worker is injured or harmed, says employment expert and partner at law firm Buddle Findlay, Sherridan Cook.
"The company, by putting on a Christmas party, still has health and safety responsibilities to workers and needs to ensure that the event is planned and executed responsibly in having regard to what's going to happen there."
"And so, if someone is hurt then potentially the company could be liable from a health and safety perspective, but whether it is actually would depend upon measures it had taken to manage [the event] responsibly."
Cook says this can include ensuring the event space is appropriate for what's happening, making sure there is enough food and planning for people leaving at the end of the night by either providing or organising for taxis and other means of transport to get home being available.