Most people assume that when they are performing their normal work duties that they are protected by workers’ compensation laws. If you’re moving boxes in the warehouse or doing your rounds at the hospital, you’re covered in the event you suffer an injury. But what happens if you’re at a company gathering or a networking event where you’re not solely performing work duties?
In today’s blog, we take a closer look at whether or not you’re eligible for workers’ compensation if you suffer an injury at a work sponsored event.
Injured At A Company Event Or While Networking
There are a lot of things that we do because of our job that are not considered work-specific duties. For example, you likely commute to and from your office, and while you would not be performing these actions if you did not hold that position, your commute is not typically covered by workers’ compensation.
Similarly, you may partake in a fitness program that is offered by your company’s healthcare provider to get a discount on insurance. If you’re running because you’re trying to be healthier as part of the fitness program, you would not be considered eligible for workers’ compensation if you broke your ankle while running. Even though you likely would not have been performing those actions if not for your employment, that doesn’t mean you’re eligible for compensation.
Earning compensation for injuries at company events or during non-standard work duties revolves around your obligation to perform these duties. If you are expected or required to attend your holiday Christmas party or a sales seminar in Houston, you would likely be able to collect compensation for injuries that occurred at these events. You were obligated to attend, therefore injury protections are extended to employees since these obligations are considered work duties.
Things get a little murkier when we look at actions that may not be required, but are welcomed by the company. For example, let’s say you were taking prospective clients out to lunch and you tripped on a staircase, or you were networking with other branch managers on the golf course and you threw out your shoulder during a swing. If these actions were considered a standard part of your job duties, you were required or recommended to perform these actions by your company, or your company was footing the bill for your expenses, odds are you can earn compensation for related injuries.
No two cases are ever the same, and since you might be dealing with a rather unique injury case, it’s imperative that you connect with a workers’ compensation lawyer if you are injured while networking or when conducting business outside the office. Odds are your employer’s workers’ compensation provider will push back against your non-standard injury claim, even if there is clear evidence that you were obligated to participate in the event where the injury occurred.
That’s where the team at Hey Workers comes in. We know the law and how to get employees the compensation they deserve for injuries that occurred while completing unique or non-standard tasks for the benefit of their employer. Don’t assume a denial is the end of the line for your case, either. We’ll see the entire case through and get you every penny you deserve. So if you were injured at a company picnic, a networking event or while signing up a new client on the golf course, reach out to the team at Hey Workers at (844) 439-9675 to learn more about your options.
