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By Leonie Helm
Life Reporter
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A woman has asked Mumsnet if she's being unreasonable for refusing to pay for damage she caused after crashing in to her employee's car.
In the post, user CountryGirl17 explained that she recently drove in to her employee's VW Transporter in the car park at work. She said "I can admit that it was totally my fault." She then explained that while she is fully insured and thought the process "would be very straightforward," her employee revealed that he was uninsured.
The OP explained that although her insurance would cover the damage to both vehicles she has only submitted a claim for herself, as the employee doesn't want to go through the insurance company, preferring to take his car to a private garage for repairs that the OP would then have to pay for out of her own pocket.
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She wrote: "Now, our HR department has gotten involved because my employee is upset about paying for the damage that my insurance would have covered. I can understand his annoyance, but the complications are not my fault and it was his choice to not go via insurance. If we went through insurance then he wouldn't need to pay anything!
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"The company has offered to loan me the money to pay for his damage, but I would have to pay it back, which basically means they are encouraging me to pay for his damage. It's a lot of money and this is a nightmare!!!"
Some 90 percent of 1,890 Mumsnet users voted that the OP wasn't being unreasonable for not wanting to pay out of pocket for their employee's damages.
Newsweek spoke to Tara Furiani, the founder of the Not the HR Lady podcast, who has more than two decades of experience in the corporate world giving expert advice on difficult work issues.
"The scenario in the post is an excellent example of the need for personal responsibility, particularly concerning employee-employer dynamics" she said. "Although the accident occurred in the company car park, it was not solely a work-related incident, resulting in a complex moral and ethical dilemma. Regardless of the employee's insurance coverage, the author should pay for the damages caused to the employee's vehicle. This is an unequivocal issue of personal accountability, and the author must face the consequences of their actions."
Mumsnet user MXVIT disagreed stating: "Don't you dare pay out! Yes the accident was your fault but the fact he's uninsured isn't! he's about to learn an expensive lesson in keeping your docs up to date."
Furiani stresses the importance of a solid and impartial company policy to protect employees in situations that may occur outside of work.
"Although the accident took place outside working hours and was unrelated to the employee's job, a company policy can ensure that every employee receives equitable treatment and fairness.
"As an HR expert, I strongly advise the author to take responsibility for the damages to the employee's car. It will demonstrate a commitment to personal responsibility, ethical conduct, and positive employee-employer relationships. It is crucial to remember that personal accountability is not only a moral obligation but a necessary component of a healthy and prosperous work environment."
One user argued that it was not a work issue saying: "It's not your fault if he wasn't covered and you should always be honest with the insurance company. It's also none of HRs business."
Some users supported Furiani agreeing: "He's not liable for the damage. You are."
Newsweek has reached out to CountryGirl17 via Reddit for comment.
Have you had a workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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