Are you able to consider that we have not had a office vacation social gathering quiz since 2015? It is true! That should imply it is time for a brand new one.
How a lot are you aware about office vacation events? Take our quiz and discover out! As at all times, the solutions seem on the finish of every query, so you’ll be able to cheat all you need, and we’ll by no means know. Should you do nicely, you will get a Secret Santa reward, chosen particularly for you!
Prepared? Right here we go:
No. 1: Which main holidays fall between December 15 and January 15?
A. Hanukkah
B. Christmas
C. Ramadan
D. Kwaanza
E. Martin Luther King Day
F. New Yr’s Day
G. Valentine’s Day
H. All the above
I. A, B, D, E, and F.
ANSWER: I. Hanukkah begins on December 18 (per week from Sunday). Christmas is on December 25 (the Sunday after begin of Hanukkah). Kwaanza begins on December 26 and runs by way of January 1, the latter of which can also be New Yr’s Day. Ramadan is noticed within the spring, and Valentine’s Day —
— are you kidding?
Dr. King’s birthday was January 15, and the vacation is widely known on the third Monday of January. If January 1 falls on a Monday (as it can in 2024), then the second Monday in January could be the eighth, and the third Monday could be the fifteenth. However normally this vacation could be after January 15.
No. 2: What’s respondeat superior legal responsibility?
A. When an employer is legally answerable for the negligence of its worker.
B. When an individual is sued for answering a query in a haughty (or “superior”) method.
C. Not one of the above.
D. All the above.
ANSWER: A. Respondeat superior legal responsibility is a really massive deal when an employer has a vacation social gathering or different work-related occasion the place alcohol is served. If an worker acts negligently (for instance, drives dwelling drunk on the unsuitable facet of the highway and causes a head-on collision), and if a courtroom finds that the office social gathering was “within the course and scope of the worker’s employment” (for instance, as a result of attendance on the social gathering was required or “strongly inspired if you would like any type of a future with this firm”), then the employer in addition to the worker shall be answerable for any harm or accidents that happen.
No. 3: What are some issues an employer can do to reduce its potential for respondeat superior legal responsibility in reference to a office vacation social gathering?
A. Serve hashish as an alternative of alcohol, however provided that hashish is authorized within the state the place the social gathering is being held.
B. Serve Perrier as an alternative of alcohol.
C. Serve alcohol, however present taxis and resort rooms for workers who’ve had an excessive amount of to drink, and demand that they be used.
D. Serve alcohol, however transport everybody to and from the social gathering in a “social gathering van.”
E. B, C, and D.
F. Not one of the above.
ANSWER: E. Soda pop would work in addition to Perrier, as would any beverage containing nothing stronger than caffeine, sugar or sugar substitute, and/or carbonation. Firm-supplied taxis and resort rooms are additionally a very good choice if you happen to do serve alcohol — the one drawback is that somebody has to find out who’s intoxicated and ensure they take the cab or sleep over. That will require extra worker monitoring than is lifelike. (Plus, not each drunk is a sloppy drunk, so your “picks” may not at all times be correct.) The social gathering van is a good thought as a result of nobody has to determine who’s had sufficient and who’s sober. Simply ensure the van driver abstains, and you ought to be good.
A is clearly incorrect as a result of hashish (even authorized hashish) is an intoxicating substance, too.
No. 4: Which of the next is NOT a authorized danger for employers who’ve office vacation events?
A. Sexual harassment
B. Theft of commerce secrets and techniques
C. Staff’ comp claims
D. Wage-hour claims
E. All the above
F. Not one of the above
G. A, C, and D.
ANSWER: G. So far as I do know, there is no such thing as a elevated incidence of commerce secret theft at office vacation events. (I could possibly be unsuitable.) Sexual harassment claims in reference to office events are, I hope nowadays, self-explanatory. Staff’ compensation and wage-hour claims could also be much less so.
If attendance on the social gathering is obligatory or “strongly inspired,” and if an worker will get damage on the social gathering, then the harm is more likely to be coated by staff’ compensation. That is as a result of there may be normally comp legal responsibility if the harm arises out of the course and scope of employment. If attendance on the perform is genuinely elective, then perhaps not.
The wage and hour challenge is comparable. If attendance is required, or if workers are pressured to attend, then the employer ought to contemplate it “time labored” for workers who’re non-exempt below the Truthful Labor Requirements Act or relevant state wage and hour legislation. And if that places them into additional time, then so be it. Alternatively, if attendance is actually elective, then the time would most likely not be compensable.
And there may be one different wage-hour wrinkle. If non-exempt workers “assist” on the social gathering (for instance, organising tables and chairs, or serving), then that’s time labored, they usually need to be paid for it. This is able to be the case even when attendance on the social gathering had been elective, and even when “serving to out” had been elective. Non-exempt workers need to be paid all the time that the employer “suffers” (permits) them to work, even when they volunteered for the responsibility.
PRO TIP: One option to keep away from wage-hour points could be to carry your social gathering through the common work day.
No. 5: Office events are laborious! I appreciated it higher throughout COVID, after we did our events by videoconference. Would having a digital social gathering defend my firm?
A. Sure
B. No
ANSWER: B. Should you recall, some fairly nasty issues occurred on videoconferences through the peak of COVID-19. For instance, ingesting that was utterly uncontrolled as a result of workers might do it off digital camera (fictional state of affairs on the hyperlink, nevertheless it might have occurred), inappropriate feedback made the place all people on the videoconference might hear them (see identical hyperlink), and Jeffrey Toobin. So, no, along with being not practically as a lot enjoyable as getting collectively in individual, events by videoconference will not even essentially defend your organization from legal responsibility.
HOW’DJA DO?
4-5 right: You’re a office social gathering animal! (Sure, reindeer have been identified to social gathering.) Santa loves you!
2-3 right: Not dangerous. Santa likes you numerous.
0-1 right: You are gettin’ nuttin’ for Christmas.
Simply kidding! You all did nice! And right here is that Secret Santa reward chosen particularly for you:
Your very personal vacation turkey home slippers!
Celebration on, and completely happy holidays!
