Are You Covered Under Workers’ Compensation When Injured Off-the-Clock?

Dec 18, 2019 | Compensability

Are You Covered Under Workers’ Compensation When Injured Off-the-Clock? Workers’ compensation claims can be quite complicated. With the changing weather in December, it has us at Kaplan Morrell thinking about when and where work injuries might occur.

Here are a few circumstances where an injury could happen off the clock or outside of the building.

Naturally, for example, if you leave your office to go pick up mail in the delivery area and get injured along the way, you would be covered by workers’ comp because it’s part of your work duties.

However, many people, including supervisors, think that if you’re not clocked in when you get injured that it’s not considered work-related. What happens, though, if you’ve already clocked out, but still in the reception area?

The answer is, you are covered because you’re still in the workplace. Even if no longer working, already clocked out, and leaving the premises, chances are you would still be covered.

Winter weather poses additional threats of slick conditions because of snow and ice.

Are you covered by workers’ comp if you’re finished working for the day and slip and fall on the ice in the parking lot while walking to your car? If you were told where you could or could not park, then yes, it’s considered work-related. For example, if your parking spot is far away because those closest to the door are reserved for clients, an injury would be covered.

Also, if you are driving in the parking lot and somehow get injured, that would be covered because you’re in the parking area designated by your employer. Once you leave the parking lot and reach the public street, you are no longer covered…with one exception. If you are still on the clock, walk over to the street and get run over, then your injury would be covered under workers’ compensation.