The ‘Weinstein Effect’: Firms Rethink Holiday Parties Amid Sexual Harassment Concerns

In the era of Harvey Weinstein, The Washington Post warns, you shouldn’t be surprised to arrive at your company holiday party to find someone from human resources “distributing drink tickets, two per head, as if it’s communist Russia and we’re rationing trash red wine now.”

Reporter Lavanya Ramanathan refers to a poll conducted this fall by placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, which found that only 49 percent of companies said they planned to serve alcohol at their holiday events, compared with nearly 62 percent last year.

Ross J. Peters, an Illinois lawyer who specializes in sexual harassment cases, told the reporter: “Sometimes, men feel it’s an opportunity to make themselves more familiar in a party atmosphere. Harassers use it for intimate conversation.”

Read the Post‘s article.