vicarious liability指

（1）（刑法）替代责任，一个人即使没有过错，因其特殊地位，也要为他人的犯罪行为承担责任，通常适用于僱主对僱员的行为承担责任。该原则仅存在于制定法之中。但被告人可提出以下辩护理由，否定其责任：《1》僱员行为非僱佣范围内的行为；《2》不受被告人控制的其他人的行为；《3》被告人已尽应有的努力令僱员遵守法律，可僱员仍未经其同意而实施的犯罪行为。

（2）替代责任；转承责任；僱主责任，指基于当事人之间具有的某种关系，而由处于管理地位的一方当事人对处于从属地位的另一方当事人的可诉行为承担责任。它是因他人行为而致的间接的法律责任，它是「僱主负责」〔respondeat superior〕、「经由他人所为与本人亲自所为无异」〔qui facit per alium facit per se〕等法律格言的体现。例如，僱主对于僱员所实施的不法行为承担责任，只要后者是在受雇时间内实施的，但如果后者是在受雇时间以外实施上述行为的，则僱主并不对此承担责任。僱主对于其僱用的独立承包人〔independent contractor〕的不法行为一般也不承担责任。此外，本人对于代理人在代理权限内实施的行为承担替代责任。

为了更好的理解该词，以下是其英文释义：

Vicarious liability is a situation in which one party is held partly responsible for the unlawful actions of a third party. The third party also carries his or her own share of the liability. Vicarious liability can arise in situations where one party is supposed to be responsible for (and have control over) a third party and is negligent in carrying out that responsibility and exercising that control.

双语例句：

（1）A partner in an LLP may still be held responsible under the common law for vicarious liability arising from the default of an employee, agent or representative who is under the supervision of the partner.

有限责任合伙的合伙人在普通法下可能仍须对受其监督的僱员、代理人或代表的失责行为负替代责任。

（2）Insurance against vicarious liability is also possible, where, for example, employers insure against their liability arising from negligence etc of their employees.

给替代责任投买保险也是可行的，例如僱主可以对因僱员行为疏忽等所构成的责任投买保险。

（3）The Bill should make provision for dealing with cases of vicarious liability. An employer or principal should be liable under the Bill for anything done by his employee or agent unless he could prove that he had tried to prevent his employee from doing the act or it was outside the agent’s authority.

条例草案应就转承责任的情况订立条文，即订明僱主或主事人须为僱员或代理人的任何作为承担法律责任；但有关僱主或主事人如能证明本身已试图防止僱员作出该行为，或该行为超出了作为代理人的权力范围，则不在此限。