What happens if you are accused of breaking a company car?

Question

I used my bosses wife's car to run errands for the company. Now they say I burned out the clutch. However, when I drove the car I noticed the clutch was sticking and reported it to the owner of the company when I returned. Today they say I burned out the clutch and they had to buy a new car. They haven't reprimanded me or asked for $$ - but I also don't think I did anything wrong. Are there any known company guidelines or laws? Can they do anything to me?

Answer 1

Sounds like just an excuse or they were joking with you. You don't buy a new car if the clutch needs replacing. You can just replace the clutch components quite cheaply.

Answer 2

There are no laws that cover the use of a company vehicle that I am aware of. They can't do anything to you financially, like backcharge you for the cost of repairs or a replacement. ..but they can deny you the privilege of driving a company vehicle. btw...since this is your bosse's wife's car chances are this was actually one of his personal vehicles rather than one owned by the company. ...and if this is the case your boss can sue but his chances of winning are extremely slim because the burden of proof is on him to prove that you are solely responsible for the clutch failure.