Office party scariest thing about Halloween

There's plenty that's scary about Halloween office parties including when alcohol is involved, warns Howard Levitt. Photo by Getty Images / iStock

By Howard Levitt and Jeffrey Vandespyker

For most of us, Halloween is about ghosts and goblins and other symbols that spook. For employers, however, it can entail something far more frightening: liability.

Every October, well-intentioned managers try to boost morale with costume contests, pumpkin carving and after-work parties. And every year, some of them end up in our office wondering how their good intentions turned into a legal nightmare.

In today’s workplace , one ill-judged “fun” event can morph into a human rights complaint, harassment investigation or wrongful dismissal suit faster than you can say “trick or treat.”

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