Tag Archives: Parties

by | December 25, 2011 · 9:22 am

Hospitality Industry Alcohol Risks: Hotels And Restaurants Hosting "Office Parties And Charity Events" Need To Insure Against "Liquor Liability"

“…office parties and charity events…can provide opportunities for professionals to mingle casually with their co-workers and clients and can help boost employee morale…(but) they can also prove to be a liability for businesses that serve alcohol…”

“…when business owners host a holiday party and serve alcohol as part of the festivities, liquor liability would most likely be covered by their commercial general liability (CGL) policy…”

 “…In addition to a CGL policy, businesses should also consider purchasing an Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) policy. An EPLI policy will protect a business from discrimination, sexual harassment, emotional distress, and other workplace-related issues…”

  • Forty-four states plus the District of Columbia have enacted liquor liability laws
  • These laws make it possible for a plaintiff to hold those who serve alcohol to an intoxicated or underage person responsible for any damage or injury caused by these same individuals after they leave the party
  • Most of these laws also offer an injured person, such as the victim of a drunk driver, a method to sue the person who served the alcohol
  • There are circumstances under these same state laws where criminal charges may also apply
  • Liquor liability laws were intended originally to apply to taverns, bars, and other establishments selling and serving alcohol

However, the liability laws have expanded over time to include “social hosts” (such as those holding a holiday party in their home or business) in some states giving them some exposure to the risk of liability for serving alcohol.

“If you are throwing an office party where alcohol is served, you have a responsibility to make sure that your employees are capable of driving safely.”

For more:  http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.aspx?id=319206

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by | September 10, 2010 · 2:15 pm

Hotel Industry Swimming Pool Liability Risks: Arizona Hotels Vary In Enforcing Existing Codes Regarding Drinking In Pools, Music Stages, Public Parties And Oversized Crowds

Many resort pool parties are already limited to guests who’ve rented rooms and their friends, like the ones at the Hotel Valley Ho, or to guests who’ve purchased tickets, like the ones at the Clarion Hotel Scottsdale.

  • No more drinking or eating in the pool.
  • No music stages abutting the pool.
  • No open-to-the-public parties, except ones already booked.
  • No free entry and oversized crowds.

“In the last two years the scale and grandeur of the parties has picked up, and we are just trying to help the facilities understand the public-health impact before we start focusing on enforcement,” said John Kolman, director of the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department.

Kolman said inspectors have reminded managers to monitor pool capacity, to double-check that rescue equipment is always visible, to keep lounge chairs, stages and other structures 4 feet from pool edges, and most crucially, to stop inviting the public to their events.

Inspectors will continue to make unannounced checks through September, the traditional end of the pool-party season.

But at the W Scottsdale, general manager Leon Young said he’s seen real revenue losses since he started enforcement. He has, however, seen room sales go up slightly.

His hotel has made a name for itself hosting buzzy daytime bashes and nighttime swim parties, serving pool-friendly drinks such as frozen creamsicle cocktails or bottles of vodka with Gatorade on ice. Now, the second-floor pool will be pen only to those who rent cabanas, daybeds or rooms.

“Certainly, I can understand you don’t want to be floating next to a piece of lunch meat,” Young said. “But if we follow the rules about no glass near the pool, I don’t see why we couldn’t allow some drinks in the pool.”

Young is optimistic the county will be open to revisiting the regulations to create variances that would allow resorts and hotels to pursue party profits.

“We are rooms-focused in spring and peak season, but in summertime, it really is about the events and promotions you can organize to bring people in,” Young said.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/bars/articles/2010/08/27/20100827phoenix-hotel-pool-party-scene-drinking-banned.html#ixzz0zAPbsor7

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