Damage caused by employee

miss_edith

An employee put the wrong fuel in a company vehicle which resulted in a £150 repair job. Does the employer have any right to charge the employee for any of this or does it just have to be written off?
Also can they be disciplined or given a warning for it?
Can't find any relevant info online so would be grateful if anyone can give me any advice on it.

Emmzi

Personally I've never charged my employees for this because it's a mistake, not malicious. Generally they've been good employees apart from a minor diesel hiccup!

But - what agreement do you have in place about use of vehicles? What is written down in staff handbook etc?

getmore4less

miss_edith wrote: »

An employee put the wrong fuel in a company vehicle which resulted in a £150 repair job. Does the employer have any right to charge the employee for any of this or does it just have to be written off?
Also can they be disciplined or given a warning for it?
Can't find any relevant info online so would be grateful if anyone can give me any advice on it.

I don't think you will find anything on-line.

You have to have it in your employement particulars and policies for discipline, car use and deductions.

If you don't have them then now is the time to create them.

RuthnJasper

If it was an innocent mistake - let it go. If it happens for a second time with the same employee then there might be a competency issue.

Employees are only human - and humans make mistakes. I would consider it very cruel indeed to punish an employee for a mistake.

Does your business insurance cover such things? In any case, your employee probably feels a big enough prat as it is and, if he has other colleagues, will be mocked about this for ages - let that be punishment enough.

patman99

I'll bet that any company that has a fleet of vehicles will have at least 1 miss-fuel a year. The worst are the companies that run mixed-fleets of the same vehicle but with different fuel systems.

Just put it down to experience.
It's like the shortages in tills scenario, you can no longer deduct out of the wages for it.

jamespir

oops id get him to pay half

miss_edith

Thanks for the replies. I was letting the issue go until some friends commented on it and said they'd take action. So its interesting to get other people's take on it. Its the only vehicle in the business so the money did hit hard and insurance doesn't cover that type of mistake. The worst part was not getting an apology or offer to even pay for the wasted fuel. Just have to hope it never happens again and get written cover in the handbook.

erdd2

Was he sufficiently trained will be one question thrown at you and please...I don't write policy, rules or statute!

Jinx

miss_edith wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I was letting the issue go until some friends commented on it and said they'd take action. So its interesting to get other people's take on it. Its the only vehicle in the business so the money did hit hard and insurance doesn't cover that type of mistake. The worst part was not getting an apology or offer to even pay for the wasted fuel. Just have to hope it never happens again and get written cover in the handbook.

I would have apologied profusely (been mortified actually) but I wouldnt have offered to pay for it. An employee making a mistake is covered by the employer surely unless your policies say specifically otherwise?

LittleVoice

patman99 wrote: »

It's like the shortages in tills scenario, you can no longer deduct out of the wages for it.

Can you explain this statement, please?

Hammyman

erdd2 wrote: »

Was he sufficiently trained will be one question thrown at you and please...I don't write policy, rules or statute!

Seriously?