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State of emergency on the Theresienwiese? Only apparently
The measure is full - and sooner than you think. Especially at the company Oktoberfest, when colleagues and superiors sit together at the table, chaos is often closer than the next chicken. But beware: just because the atmosphere is exuberant and the boss is suddenly dancing with the staff, it doesn't mean that employment law is on vacation.
Munich employment law expert Thomas Etzel puts it in a nutshell in an interview with the SZ: "The Wiesn is not a space free of employment law, alcohol or not." So anyone who believes that there is freedom from fools in the beer tent is very much mistaken. And the hangover the next day? Not only will you have a headache - you may also have your wages deducted.
When the measure becomes a warning
Sure, if you drink, you get loose - but if you get too loose, you risk more than just an embarrassing appearance. Insults, crude chat-ups or physical escalation are not excusable at the Wiesn - even if the boss has generously handed out beer tokens beforehand.
Etzel warns: "If my employer buys me three or four pints and I get rowdy in the tent afterwards, I can't say that my boss gave me the Trademarks after all."
This means: personal responsibility remains - even with alcohol in your blood. Anyone who goes overboard must expect consequences under employment law, such as a warning or, in the worst case, dismissal.
And whoever calls in sick the day after with a buzzing head? According to Etzel, they are not entitled to a salary if the absence is due to self-inflicted alcohol abuse.
Boss, help! But not with the beer mug, please
Managers also have a certain responsibility at the Wiesn - at least until things get dangerous. Etzel explains: "If two burly colleagues go at each other with beer mugs in their hands, the slender boss doesn't have to intervene."
This means that the duty of care has limits - especially if the supervisor would have to put themselves in danger. Nevertheless, if such incidents regularly occur at the party, the working atmosphere should be fundamentally scrutinized. After all, anyone who gets senselessly drunk at company expense and harasses or assaults others obviously not only has an alcohol problem, but also a structural one.
And what is the lesson to be learned from this?
The company "Wiesn" is not a legal vacuum or a state of emergency - it is a reflection of the corporate culture. Those who derail here often only reveal what has been bubbling under the surface in the office for a long time.
So if you don't know your limits, you're showing more than just bad table manners - you're putting the whole team at risk. A single evening can be enough to lose trust, reputation and even your job.
Therefore: Celebrate - yes. But with decency. And if you can't help it, you should at least save enough to take the next day off without pay.
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