Can we discipline an employee for unauthorised absence as a result of a Christmas party?

In general, employers are lenient with staff returning to work after a Christmas party. You may feel, however, that if an employee calls in sick the day after the Christmas party, he or she is pulling a “sickie” due to the amount he or she drank the night before.

You can treat unauthorised absence as a disciplinary matter. The problem with doing so, however, is being able to prove that the employee is not genuinely sick. Mere suspicion will not be enough.

It is a good idea to warn employees in advance of the party that disciplinary action may be taken for unauthorised absence. You should also let employees know what you expect with regard to such matters as returning to the office after a