Watkins v. Douglas County, Colorado

**Watkins v. Douglas County: Court Rules on Employer Responsibility for Employee Misconduct** This case involved a worker who sued both a physician and his employer, Callaway Associates/Promed, claiming the doctor was negligent and committed sexual assault. The employee argued that the employer knew about or approved of the physician's inappropriate conduct. The jury found that the physician was indeed negligent and that the employer had "ratified" (essentially approved of) his behavior after learning about it. However, the jury awarded only $1 in damages to the worker. The employee asked for a new trial, arguing the damages were too low, but the court denied this request. The court did rule in the employee's favor on one issue, agreeing that the employer could be held responsible for approving the doctor's conduct. **What this means for workers:** This case shows that employers can be held legally responsible when they know about employee misconduct and fail to take action or appear to approve of it. However, it also demonstrates that even when workers prove their case, damage awards can be surprisingly low. Workers facing workplace misconduct should document incidents and report them promptly to create a clear record of the employer's response.