Company Lawsuit

sylwek10

A company is being sued by a former employee.  The lawsuit mentions the company as well as the employee as a defendant.  The employee mentioned is not an officer, manager, or in any kind of authority capacity.  Any advice as to how this may impact the employee personally?  Is it common that the employees is considered a defendant?

Joy1

I think the answer depends on the law under which the employee is being sued. Some state laws allow for individual liabililty of non-manager/supervisors for things like torts (wrongs) like breach of contract etc. or personal torts (defamation, etc.). In such cases, employers may help defend the employee (assuming that his/her behavior was defensible and not so outside of "good" behavior), but that is the employer's call. Depending on the law and how it is worded, the employee may be personally liable ($).

TXHRGuy

Time to talk to an attorney.

Like Joy said, your question is highly state and fact specific.