Many employees sue companies for various reasons. Most of us hear what the lawsuit is about, but the legal term is not really discussed. Negligence is one of the most common lawsuits that is brought against companies. Negligence is failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances. Most states do not impose a general duty of care upon companies concerning the employment relationship. An employer who mistreats, harasses, improperly evaluates, or wrongfully dismisses an employee is not liable for a claim of negligence. However, retention of a dangerous employee, negligent hiring, and a failure to provide a safe work place may be grounds for a lawsuit.
An example of negligent hiring would be, if an employee hired someone without checking their background. This is because an employer has an obligation to its employees to provide a safe and productive business environment. If a employee was hired and they had a history of violence this would put everyone in possible danger. If this person committed a violent act against someone in the company, there could be a negligence lawsuit brought against the company. An example of retention of a dangerous employee would be, if an employer decided to retain an employee even after they have committed a dangerous act. If they employee causes threat or injury to someone at work the company could be sued for negligence. An example of failure to provide a safe work place is if the employer does not regulate the work environment for the employees of the company. This could be a failure to regulate machinery, failure to keep the workplace clean, and anything else that could cause potential injury to the employees. The best way businesses can avoid lawsuits is to make sure that everyone working for the company has a clean history, to make sure that all of the machinery is inspected often so that it is safe for the employees and to make sure that the work environment is safe