Go Ahead ... Ask
April 2018
“This spring, our company will be sending several of our sales team out of state to a week-long conference. I’m sure alcohol will be a part of that event — from the “hospitality suites” at the hotel to dinners with vendors. Can I put limits on their drinking while at that conference, even if it’s after hours? Is it true our company could be held accountable for their behavior if something bad happened as a result of their drinking?”
You’re right on target for being concerned about this situation and for planning ahead! It is possible your company could be in an awkward (or worse) position if someone was hurt or killed or there were damages related to your employee’s alcohol use. The more attached your company is to the event, the more you could be attached to the employee’s behavior. For example:
- Will the trip be paid for in whole or in part by the company?
- Has the event been discussed on the job or via company email?
- Will the team be representing your company while at the conference?
- If he/she was not one of your employees, would he/she be at the conference?
If you answered “yes” to the first three questions or “no” to the last question, it might be prudent to put steps in place to prevent something negative from happening while they are at the conference. And common sense holds that the more alcohol that’s consumed, the more likely it is that negative behaviors will ensue.
If you decide to put parameters around their drinking, be sure those limits are clearly articulated in your drug-free workplace policy. While you will not likely be there to monitor their alcohol use, it is wise to set the limits, communicate them clearly and get sign-off that they are willing to adhere to the company’s standards.
The goal in setting these boundaries is to prevent negative events from happening (including your company’s public image being tarnished). In the event that an employee does violate the policy and causes damage, the company will want to have documentation to support their responsible and good faith efforts.
