An employment law specialist is warning managers not to make rash decisions about sacking people who misbehave at office Christmas parties.
Peter Cullen says a woman who complained to her employer about another staff member's unwelcome attentions at a Christmas party won a court case against the employer when he dismissed her concerns.
And an employer who summarily dismissed a staff member for skylarking at a Christmas party also ended up in court.
Mr Cullen says employers must investigate properly before acting. However, he says if an investigation bears out a major breach of acceptable behaviour, then an employee can be dismissed immediately.