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St. Patrick's Day at Work: A Few Helpful Reminders


It is time to celebrate...it is St. Patrick's Day 2015!  For those of us working today (or supervising others), however, that celebration might need to wait a little bit.  Given that a lot of people celebrate St. Patrick's Day in one way or another, I wanted to take the time to remind employers & employees alike of a few things to help avoid potential liability and unwanted lawsuits.

  1. Office Parties:  Having an office party?  Ok, but remember it is an office party, not a college party.  There is a time and a place to take your shirt off and do shots.  An office party with coworkers and your bosses is not that time.  Remember as well to keep drinking in line.  You do not want to be the supervisor who makes "suggestive" comments to a subordinate, thus triggering a harassment lawsuit.  As well, you do not want to be the co-worker who gets verbally/physically aggressive with a co-worker/boss.  That spells trouble on all fronts.
  2. Drinking at Office Parties:  Speaking of drinking at office parties, employers should take steps to minimize risk if alcohol is allowed.  Having an open bar and not cutting anyone off (or cutting them off after it is too late), can open the employer to potential liability if that employee goes out and injures someone else while intoxicated.  Putting limits in place on the amount of drinks an employee is allowed is a good step to limit unwanted situations fueled by alcohol.  The easiest thing, of course, is to have green punch or some other non-alcoholic drink available, and provide no alcohol at an office party.  It might not be the most exciting party, but it is an office party after all.
  3. Wearing Green At Work:  Wearing green at work today might be okay, depending upon your company's dress code, however.  If an employer has a strict dress code (ie a standard uniform) and does not allow deviations, that is fine.  Wear your favorite green item(s) once you clock out for the day.  If an employer does allow employees to wear green today, again, remember this is the office.  Leave the green wig and glow in the dark green body glitter at home today.  Your HR rep might have a better idea of what is and is not allowed in the workplace.  A good rule of them is to consult with him/her.
  4. Resist the Urge to Pinch the Person Not Wearing Green:  Someone is not wearing green?  That is fine, but resist the urge to pinch them.  I know a lot of people like to go around pinching whoever they see that is not wearing green.  If that is among friends at home or at the bar, that is one thing.  When you are going around pinching Sally in accounting or Joe in the office down the hall, that becomes a problem.  Even if it is a good natured joke and no harm is intended, I would advise against physically touching a fellow employee in this way.  Nothing good can come of it, especially if the employee files a lawsuit as a result of this perceived harassment/hostile work environment.
  5. Sharing St. Patrick's Day Jokes/E-mails:  Have a funny joke/e-mail?  I have heard plenty of St. Patrick's Day and Irish related jokes over the years.  Some are quite funny.  Some should not be shared in the office however.  While many people might find these jokes/e-mails funny, it is very easy for someone else to get offended.  All it takes is a good natured joke/e-mail to be interpreted in a different way than intended, and a potential lawsuit can arise.  The best thing to do is not share the joke/e-mail at all and play it safe.  If you absolutely cannot resist (and really, practice a little self control), consider the worst way it could be interpreted before sharing it.  If your own grandmother would find the joke/e-mail offensive, it is probably not a good idea to share.  The best advice I can give is to play it safe.

With that being said, enjoy the day, even if you have to work!  There is time to celebrate and enjoy St. Patrick's day festivities after the work day is over.  Until that point, remember that when at work, your employer is paying you to be there to get work done and be productive.  The employer is not paying you to start your St. Patrick's Day festivities early...and if they are, let me know if they are hiring!

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