when a tech breaks something

In the US the employer is, by law, required to pay, unless the person is contracted for the position. However, if they volunteer to pay, that's another issue.

the guy called me right away and said "I will work today for free AND pay for the repair" this was his exact words then he put it in an e-mail the next day.

how did you come to this conclusion Dog? I didnt even say what I was going to do?

I guess this is one of the serious threads you were talking about.  I am used to seeing threads like the on the red bored where I swear some of those idiots have their wive's dress them in the morning? The fact you had to ask a question like that is enough for me.  This must be a GTA thing?

I think everyone gave you that answer. I guess you had to read it moere than once?

I had employees break so many things it's unreal, from dishes, chairs, windows, doors, railings, toilets, sinks, water pipes,  to scratched cars , furniture, ruined sofa fabrics, drapes, radios...........wow....the list goes on ...........I ALWAYS PAID, LAUGHED ABOUT IT AND WENT ON WITH MY DAY. As long as NO PERSON gets hurt...............all the rest is just JUNK.

If the tech denies guilt when the evidence indicates otherwise, he's fired.  If he admits to it, he's got high enough ethics for me.

As to making him pay, I remember that there are courts for judges to make those decisions and if I want to pursue it then I would allow them to decide if and how much.  The tech earns his pay and gets it.  These I treat as separate issues which is required by law where I come from.  I see this as a law that makes sense.  First you pay him, then from the money he now has I can attempt to recover my losses.