Intentional Contamination: Liability for the Criminal Acts of Employees

One of a series of articles written by Denis Stearns that address the legal risks faced by manufacturers and distributors of food products. In this article about whether an employer is liable if an employee intentionally contaminates a product, Mr. Stearns explains that, "The employer is vicariously liable for the negligence of its employee while on the job, which is to say the law treats the employer as if it committed the act itself. Employees or agents are merely an extension of the employing company, and that acts of one are the acts of the other." The article appeared in an online newsletter for ID Access.