It's the festive season and I think the title says it all for the employee, however what are the implications for the employer and/or manager?  Lots, in this day and age where you can be sued for looking at a person the wrong way, where does the liability of an employer cease on the day of the work Xmas party or break up?

 

Certainly there is a duty of care to ensure all staff are safe (standard OH&S policies), however does that cease at the end of the party? Simple answer is NO.

 

Employers/managers have a duty of care to ensure that there staff make it home to there family safe.  I think this is straight forward logic, however it gets tricky when you consider alcohol and safety.

 

Do you only have a duty of care to get staff home safely after a party where alcohol is served or also after normal work days?  I haven't seen much about this, however I am sure there is some form of negligence law to cover the normal work day.

 

How does an employer/manager carry out there duty of care after the work Xmas party?  Is a simple cab charge to get home sufficient?  Its a start, but is it enough?  With my employee hat on, I think yes.  I am willing to take responsibilty for my own safety if I have been provided with a cab charge, even it I am under the influence of social lubricant. 

 

As a manager of staff over a number of years, I have been concerned when staff go all out to consume as much alcohol as possible and clearly would have trouble getting into a taxi and then getting out at the other end.   Should the company be liable what happens to that employee once you have seen them off into the taxi?  Not really sure, I think not, but then I think we the employer/manager have provided that alcohol for that employee to be drunk, so maybe its a yes.

 

When will liability end?  Being naieve to the issue will only end up a costly mistake for the company and the employee. 

 

I started my first season half way through the fixture.  My team was in 7th place out of 8 and in division 6, the lowest division.  When you get a team for the first time it is full of useless players, well not all of them as I still have one left from that original team.  Essentially you have to spend as many hours as you can reading the forum posts for beginners, if you don't its at your own peril.  The start of this game is the most critical to being successful and getting your first win under your belt. 

 

Youth League:

If you make poor decisions then you will be paying for those mistakes for many seasons to come.  The biggest trap for young players is to start up a youth team, it costs big money and you can't turn it off after the second week of playing the game and you have realised its a waste.  I was lucky to avoid this trap (advice from the forum) however a friend who got me into this game and started at the same time jumped into the youth team and is still paying for something that gives him nothing in return and we are up to season 3.