Employer Liability For Environmental Crimes

Company liability

Under Finnish law, the employer is liable to compensate any third party for the loss or damage caused by an employee's mistake or omission. The employer's liability covers all employees, as well as independent contractors who work in similar positions to employees. The employer is liable even if the offender is never identified. It is sufficient to prove that damage was caused by a mistake or an omission by an employee and the employer would be liable to pay compensation.

The employer may not avoid the liability even by demonstrating that they:

• had given the employee proper instructions;
• supervised the employee's work; and
• in all other respects fulfilled its obligations.