Now that Labor Day Weekend has come and gone, the summer season is unofficially over. But if you happened to attend any work-sponsored social events this summer — especially any that involved alcohol — the drama of summer may be far from over.
Many employers are careful to limit alcohol consumption during winter holiday parties because of increased risks of drunk driving and inappropriate employee behavior. But summer is often overlooked, and the same dangerous dynamic is often in place when employers serve alcohol at work-sponsored events.
One risk that should be fairly clear is sexual harassment. Let’s say a company throws a pool party or barbeque for employees and alcohol is being served. This situation may combine drinking with wearing revealing bathing suits and playing games that put coworkers into close physical proximity. These factors are not a guaranteed recipe for disaster, of course, but they should be of some concern to employers.
If you have suffered sexual harassment or another form of illegal workplace action in the office or at a work-sponsored event, you should understand your rights and legal options. Your employer must be responsible for preventing sexual harassment at all times and addressing it appropriately if it is reported. If not, you may be able to seek compensation from your harasser and the company in a sexual harassment lawsuit.
To learn more about your rights and legal options after an adverse incident or pattern of incidents at work, please contact an experienced employment law attorney in your area.
