What can an individual employer do if his employee breaks an object?

Verified 28 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The individual employer is responsible damage caused by his employee at home.

If it considers that the damages committed by the employee are volunteers, the individual employer may penalize it by warning, a lay-off or a dismissal. This will be the case, for example, when the employee breaks voluntarily a vase.

The employer cannot hold back the price of the broken item on the employee's salary, nor ask him to refund the item. The financial penaltiesare prohibited.

In addition to his insurance civil liability the employer can take out professional liability insurance to cover the damage caused by his employee.

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