This past summer, a Dallas County, Texas jury slapped Charter Communications with $7.375 billion in compensatory and punitive damages. The Goff v. Holden & Charter Communications, LLC verdict is exceptional due to its size, and because it penalized Charter for an employee’s criminal conduct while off-duty.
Generally, an employer can be held liable for an employee’s misconduct within the course and scope of their work. Or, negligence can apply when the employer unreasonably failed to prevent wrongdoing, even if it occurred while the employee was off the clock.
The reasons that Charter was held liable for negligence provide important lessons for all employers on preventing workplace violence, especially if employees visit customers in their homes.
In Dec. 2019, Roy Holden, a Charter cable technician, visited 84-year-old Betty Thomas for a service call. The next day, while off-duty, Holden drove a company van back to her home, where he robbed and murdered her. He was arrested, pleaded guilty, and is serving life in prison. Thomas’ family sued Charter, alleging that gross negligence caused her death.
Charter seemed well-positioned to defend itself—after all, Holden wasn’t on the job when he committed his crimes, the company had run a criminal background check, and...
Panthers chairman Greg Alexander has revealed Nathan Cleary’s injury was not as bad as what was reported after the reigning Dally M Medallist underwent a second surgery. During the Panthers’ preli...