It’s a common scenario these days: An employee gets into an accident while talking (or texting) on a company-issued cell phone, and the company ends up paying for it.
More employers are getting hit with lawsuits because of employee’s use company-issued equipment (cell phones, Blackberrys, iPhones, etc.). And legal experts only expect the trend to increase — with larger settlements and fines resulting.
Here’s one example of how bad it can get: A company ended up paying $5.2 million to a driver who lost an arm as a result of a car accident. The at-fault party: an employee for the company who had been talking on her work cell-phone at the time of the accident.
One way to protect your company: Huddle with HR and create a written policy that forbids workers from using portable devices while driving. Include the disciplinary actions that employees will face for violating the policy — and have them sign off on it.
