Can we force employees to say why they won't come to Saturday company picnic? 09-05-2007

The company is organizing a summer picnic for the employees on a Saturday (non-business day, employee's day off). We are asking who will be attending, the number of people they will bring and for those who won't be attending, asking for a reason why they won't go. Since it is not work-related, and yet it's simply entertainment and the party is being organized on the employee's day off, is it illegal to ask employees for a reason why they are not going? Would this be an invasion of privacy?

Rita Risser replies:

Yes, I do think this is an invasion of privacy. Personally, I feel if the company wants to be nice to people they should either have the party during working hours or pay people to come on Saturday!

Information here is correct at the time it is posted. Case decisions cited here may be reversed. Please do not rely on this information without consulting an attorney first.