Are companies legally responsible for the conduct of their employees while on the job?

Question

Recently, a Comcast subcontractor cable guy killed two women (allegedly) while on routine installation calls. Of course the cable guy will be prosecuted, but is Comcast in any way responsible LEGALLY, either criminally or civil? I'm asking strictly about what the law says, not personal opinion.

Answer 1

Only if it can be proven that Comcast was negligent in hiring this guy and that they could have known he was dangerous. There might be a case if Comcast did not follow their normal hiring practices or gave him an assignment that did not follow the normal job description. For example, if he has a prior record of breaking and entering, or of physical assult, and they hired him anyone (or didn't do the proper background check) and sent to alone into people's homes, then a legal case of responsibility could be made.

However, if there were no reasonable indicators that he was dangerous, and he met the standard hiring criteria, then probably not. You would have to prove the hiring criteria is faulty, and hiring practices are standard throughout most businesses and have withstood litigation. So unless Comcast itself did something wrong, the answer both criminally and civilly, the answer is no.

Answer 2

They could be found liable in a civil suit. Someone might take the slant that Comcast should have been more careful in who they employed to send into peoples' houses, monitored their mental state a little better. I can't see how a criminal case could be brought against them.

Answer 3

Only if they somehow knew he was a stalker or somehow a threat to people. But you'd think if they knew this they would have fired him long before he actually killed anyone.

Answer 4

yes the company is legally responsible for any action its employees commit while on duty or at their work place,

Answer 5

Yes. they are liable