Am I responsible for paying for tire replacement / repair??

good job plan better next time you cant make anyone on here believe not checking your tires were going to make you late

 

had you found this prior to starting , what then?

 

Shouldn't have admitted to not checking the tires. Sounds like an odd wear pattern for it just going flat. Could have been a defect in the tire or you could have picked up something on the way.

 

I've never had to pay for any damage that I caused.
I think your boss needs to pay it or fire you.

 

I thought they outlawed patches.

 

It's not right but you might as well pay because he'll get it out of you one way or the other .

 

flat spots are usually from brake lock up but either way i wouldn't pay for it and patching tires on drives and trailers are legal good luck finding someone to do it to much of a liability issue

 

Depending upon state law, it may be illegal for him to demand that you pay for the tire. I know here in Illinois, an employer cannot deduct from an employee's wages to pay for any damage that employee may have caused to the employer's equipment....unless the employee signs an agreement stating how much is to be deducted and for how long the deductions will last, thereby authorizing the employer to make the deductions. There is nothing preventing the employer for firing the employee for not signing such an agreement, but if that's the route that is taken, the employer will eat the cost of repairing the damage because he cannot withhold from the employee's wages without the signed agreement.

Some companies get around that by paying a safety or performance "bonus"....which is a voluntary addition to the regular wages paid to the employee. If the employee screws up and damages the employer's equipment, the employer can stop paying the bonus for as long as the employer chooses....usually for as long as it takes to recover the cost of repairing the damage caused by the employee.

Other companies suspend pay increases which you would otherwise have received based upon your length of employment or any other factors until such time as the damages have been paid for.

Whether you sign the agreement to pay him back, or he withholds any bonuses he might have paid, or he just doesn't give you that raise you thought you had coming....if you stick around long enough, he's going to recover what you cost him if he really wants you to pay for the damage. State law will determine how far he can go in recovering the expense and how long it might take him to get all of his money back. However, if/when you quit or get fired, there is nothing further he can do to continue collecting.