What are the legal potential issues here?

What Are The Legal Issues Serving Alcohol At The Workplace?

• Since legal issues vary across the world, this is a workplace in the U.S. (Seattle, WA) to be specific. The winter holidays are around the corner and as a cost saving measure, looking at ways to have a party in the office.  We'd like to have a small amount of alcohol (beer, wine) as an option but I know there are legal issues to clear. I know there are various companies that allow alcohol in the office on a regular or occasional basis (software companies). Would like to hear what I can do to legally protect my department and company from any issues that might rise.

• Answer:

  I dont know much about this specific issue, except that I have read a few cases that generally deal with the issue.  So, take what I say with that in mind.   The cause of action that you should be worried about is negligence.  Negilgence has been defined by the courts and statutes over time, to generally incentivize people to act the way we want them to.  The same behavior that results in injury can be negligent, or not, depending on the circumstances.    By throwing a party in the workplace, you are promising the attendees a safe environment.  In other words, you almost certainly have a duty to make sure that no employee hurts another becuase of the alcohol, and that no attendee sufers injury because of your actions (broken chairs, loose carpet, etc.).  So, your first goal is to make sure that no drunk person hurts others, and that the space is generally suited to accomodate drunk people.    You might also have a duty to protect employees from themselves (normally you dont, but becuase you are serving them alcohol, some jurisdictions say you do have such a duty).  So, your second goal is to make sure that no drunk person hurts himself (drives drunk, dies of alcohol poisoning, etc.).