Take it easy when drinking alcohol at Christmas parties, New Zealand's Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) warned on Wednesday, disclosing that last year it dealt with more than 19,000 claims for injury during the holiday period, dpa reported.
About a quarter of all claims are alcohol-related, said Katie Sadleir, general manager of injury prevention at ACC, a government body which provides compensation and medical costs for all accident victims.
"Often the injuries don't happen when the person is intoxicated, but the next day when they're hungover or fatigued," she said. "They may not be able to function fully or make good decisions, and that makes them a danger at work and on the roads."
Sadleir said the effects of overdoing alcohol at Christmas work parties could impair an employee's ability to do his or her job properly and safely, putting them at risk of injuring themselves or fellow workers.
She urged employers to be responsible when hosting Christmas parties for their staff by encouraging guests not to drink too much, providing non-alcoholic choices and filling and healthy food.