Fewer offices in Quebec are holding holiday parties this year, and it could be due to the #metoo movement and legalization of cannabis.
A poll conducted for the Journal de Montreal showed that 60 per cent of employers in Quebec were hosting a Christmas party for their employees – but 1 in 5 of those who were not this year, held one last year.
The sudden drop perhaps has to do with increasing concerns about harassment and assault in the workplace.
This is also the first year in which marijuana is legalized and the problem, according to labour lawyer Marianne Plamondon, is that employers do not have coherent guidelines on code of conduct, drugs and alcohol in the workplace, as well as sexual harassment in the workplace.
“(They need) a code of conduct, but also a policy on harassment. But also on drugs and alcohol for the employee, to know exactly what they can do and what they cannot do,” she said, adding that employers must ensure that “all behaviour is appropriate at all times. And if they are using alcohol, it stays always reasonable in how much they use it… so that all employees can enjoy themselves without having inappropriate behaviour.”
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