Your employer announcing a holiday party for Christmas is a gift to all, and, in particular, to every sexual harassment attorney Los Angeles. Wondering why? Because holiday parties organized by employers are usually full of violations of laws and illegal activities.
Particularly, there is a noticeable uptick in the number of sexual harassment claims filed after holiday parties around Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Slapping female employees’ bottoms or attempting to kiss them on the lips may not seem like a big deal to your California employer who has had too much to drink during a holiday party, but it should definitely not go unnoticed by the employees.
Sexual harassment laws are in effect at holiday parties
While company rules may not be in effect at holiday parties, California laws are. So if you have been sexually harassed by your boss during a holiday party, consult with a Los Angeles sexual harassment attorney from Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers to prepare a very special gift for your employer for Christmas: a sexual harassment claim.
Depending on when your employer is planning to organize a holiday party, it may be weeks until you get to see your overly polite and serious coworkers drink, dance, laugh, and (unfortunately) throw up until 4 am. If you are a female worker, you have just a few more weeks until the holiday party, during which your boss will most likely hold you by the waist for too long, tell you an inappropriate joke, or worse, attempt to stick his disgusting tongue into your mouth with dancing with you.
Watch out for these things at the holiday party (to prevent sexual harassment)
You do not necessarily have to become a victim of sexual harassment at a holiday party, as you can prevent any unwanted sexual advances from your employer and coworkers by leaving the party if you notice one of the following things at the party:
- Someone (usually, a male) is dressed up as Santa Claus (even worse, it’s your boss!). You know what happens the second a male individual puts on the Santa Claus suit at every holiday party ever. He invites female coworkers or employees to sit on his lap. Do you know what happens next? The “Santa Claus” will be asking you all kinds of personal questions, including the most infamous and inescapable one, “Have you been a naughty girl this year?”, or worse, inappropriately touching you.
- Your male employer invited only female employees (though it may not be a big deal if you work at a women-only company).
- You get an invitation from your employer to a hotel room (if I were you, I’d be at least suspicious of his intentions).
- Alcohol is being served uncontrollably at the Christmas party. If employees are allowed to help themselves to alcohol, things will get out of control pretty fast. If there is no professional bartender insight, and alcohol flows like river at the holiday party, you would be better off leaving that party before a male coworker or employer sexually harasses you (it’s only a matter of time).
- Your male employer or coworker keeps refilling women’s glasses with alcohol trying to get them drunk. “Needless to say, it’s a disaster waiting to happen,” says our experienced sexual harassment attorney in Los Angeles.
- There goes the mistletoe. It goes without saying that a mistletoe at a holiday party is not appropriate, especially when employees are being served alcohol at the party. Do we really need to explain why?
If you have been sexually harassed by your employer or coworkers during a holiday party, do not hesitate to contact Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers. Schedule a free consultation with our lawyers to find out whether or not your employer’s or coworker’s actions constitute sexual harassment. Call our offices at 310-527-6994 today.