Australian woman had to pay $100 for her work Christmas party and it didn’t include drinks

A heated debate has erupted after an Australian man revealed that his wife had to pay $100 to attend her work’s Christmas party, and the cost didn’t even include a drink.

The woman’s husband said his office parties are ‘fully funded’ and include unlimited food and drinks, which is why he was so surprised to learn of his wife’s situation.

He took to Reddit to explain the situation and ask the Aussies if they think it’s okay to pay for their workgroup.

There was a stark contrast in opinion. Some believe it’s not too much to ask of an employee, while others argue that it’s so offensive that you should quit your job.

A heated debate erupted after an Australian man revealed his wife had to pay $100 to attend her work’s Christmas party, and the cost didn’t even include a drink (file image)

So what kind of Christmas party does your job host and how much, if any, do they charge you for it? the man asked.

‘I’m curious about what other people’s parties are like. Mine are fully funded by the business, including food and alcohol.

“However, my partner charges like $100 to get more drinks on top.”

Many people thought that the suggestion of paying to attend a work group was “offensive” and justified drastic decisions such as resigning.

‘Time to go, sir!’ a man said immediately.

“Never had to pay to attend own or partners work functions and would refuse to pay if asked,” wrote another.

“I would refuse to go instead of just refusing to pay,” another commented.

However, other people said they wouldn’t mind paying, especially if it’s a public sector job.

“I’ve been to a couple that were $10 a head and had full service and unlimited alcohol, so I wasn’t too worried,” said one woman.

‘In public service you often have to pay, whether it’s paying for your food or raising funds throughout the year for a party,’ another commented.

A man who works in the public sector said he understands the need to fund his own party because “getting drunk on taxpayers’ money is frowned upon.”

Some people argued that employers are only insuring themselves, as they would incur heavy losses if they pay for food and drinks for a no-show staff member.

Opinions were divided on whether employees should pay for their staff party. Some believed that it is not too much to ask of an employee, while others argued that it is so offensive that you should quit your job (file image)

Earlier, a woman sparked a debate online after revealing that her boss threatened her that she “wouldn’t look good” at her next appraisal if she missed the work Christmas party.

On the Mumsnet parenting forum, the woman explained that she had told her boss she couldn’t make the 100-mile drive due to car trouble and received an “out of proportion” response.

Many commenters agreed with the poster, saying that she should update her CV and look for another job instead of working with her current boss.

However, some said they understood their manager’s perspective, even if his response was blown out of proportion, because it’s important to spend time together when you’re part of a small team.

Speaking to Mumsnet, a woman revealed how her boss got upset and insulted her because she couldn’t make it to the work Christmas party (file image)

Explaining the situation, the woman wrote: ‘I work remotely about 100 miles from my office. It’s a small charity (about 15 staff) and the CEO has been there for 30 years.’

Anyway, my car stopped working on Friday afternoon. I tried everything I could to fix it. The only day I can fix it is the day of the Christmas party.

I called her to explain. At first she literally kept grunting and then she went on to say that this was a very important event and she should do everything she can to be there.

“Then he made a veiled threat that this wouldn’t look good for the rest of the team, or for my next annual 1-2-1.”

“She calmed down once I got pretty assertive with her, but even my husband was surprised at how emotional she got. He was really blown out of proportion.

Comments supporting the poster flooded in, some even suggesting that he quit his job.

“I don’t think I’d want to work for anyone who would talk to me like that, I’d be updating my CV,” said one woman.

However, others pointed out the importance of office holiday parties for team building, with one person writing, “I get what she means.”