Will The 'Spirits' Of The Holiday Haunt You? (Not Just Your Obligatory 'Holiday Party' Blog Post)

Seyfarth Synopsis: Over the next few weeks, we're going to weigh in on the growing national debate around the recent wave of sexual harassment allegations. To date, no one seems immune from the allegations: celebrities, politicians, presidents. See for instance Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2017 issue. We hope this dialogue will empower employees and employers, alike, to speak up before inappropriate, but previously unmentioned conduct, festers. This conversation also creates an opportunity for a company to look hard at its corporate culture and how it can strive to make it welcoming and inclusive. Welcome to our three part series.

The First in a Three Part Series Addressing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. (Part 1)

A Blog in Three Parts: Kicking off our three part series - this week's installment will look at how to avoid some of the landmines that can accompany holiday parties; Part 2 will look at the role corporate culture plays in establishing that feeling of mutual respect and shared courtesy; and then in Part 3 we will invite Philippe Weiss, Esq., Managing Director of Seyfarth Shaw at Work, to share his insights from the front lines and his thoughts on how organizations can credibly and effectively combat workplace sexual harassment.

'Tis the Season: Perhaps more than any other time, lawyers and laypeople alike are talking about sexual harassment. Indeed, the country is in the midst of an important national conversation about such abuses of power and is trying to come to terms with what the despicable "me too" allegations say about our workplaces and our values. We hope this conversation, the national headlines, social media campaigns, and watercooler conversations, shine a light on genuine misconduct that should be addressed. But with the holiday season — and the holiday party season — upon us, this adds an extra layer of anxiety to the already wide range of "what could possibly go wrong" scenarios.

We recognize that this year, perhaps more than others, people may be on heightened alert for misconduct or have a lower threshold for what may be considered inappropriate work place conduct. But Holiday parties also provide an important opportunity to build comradery, give thanks, show appreciation for your employees' hard work throughout the year, and recognize past achievements. We don't think you should scuttle these good intentions, but we do think a little advance planning can ease the process. So, this week, we're decking...

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