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responsiblity of employer for damage done by non-Jewish worker

Question:

A yeshiva employs an Arab cleaner who used bleach in a way that damaged clothing of bochrim. Is the yeshiva responsible to pay? If so, how much- current value or for a replacement which might entail a new one.
Yasher koach.
Kol tuv.

Answer:

Normally when someone hires a worker the worker is responsible for what he does and not the employer. There are however instances that the person who hired the worker pays, such as when the worker of a contractor causes damage, often the contractor has to pay. This would depend on the local customs and what was made up between the employer and the worker. When a Yeshiva hires a worker to clean things, I would assume that nothing was made up between the school and the worker, and therefore he school would not be liable, but again it would depend on the local customs. Regarding how much has to be paid, it would depend on the value of the item. Usually if a used item was damaged, then the person would only be obligated to pay back the value of a used, namely how much would you be able to buy something like that in a used clothing store. If the item was practically new the halacha might be different.

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