4 Out-Of-Office Scenarios That Can Qualify For Workers’ Compensation

If you are injured while performing a job-related task outside of your regular workplace, you are typically covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance, even if you are not driving a company vehicle or not technically “on-the-clock.” These are four common scenarios where you could receive workers’ compensation if any harm comes to you:

Your Boss Sends You On An Errand

Any task assigned to you by your employer is usually considered “on-duty.” You could perform it before, during or after your shift, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a business-related task, either. Special company meetings and outings that take place after hours or on weekends may also qualify as job-related events.

You Need To Visit Separate Job Locations

You may need to do a one-time run of supplies to an office branch, or you might regularly travel to various locations in an occupation like repair services. Regardless of how often these trips are included in your job description, workers compensation Charleston SC should cover any injuries sustained while moving between one site and the next.

Your Primary Duty Involves Traveling

These scenarios often include professions such as delivery drivers, outside sales staff, mass transit operators and even airline pilots. If your principal function is traveling, your vehicle could be considered your “office,” and thus, you should be covered by workers’ compensation.

You Go Out-Of-Town For Business

When you leave town on a business trip, your entire trip generally qualifies as job-related, and this usually includes your down-time. For example, if you attend a seminar all day but get injured in a car accident later that evening while driving back to your hotel, you should still be compensated by your employer.

Daily commuting is the one “job-related” scenario that is generally not considered to be an on-duty event. Even though you are driving to work, workers’ compensation policies will not usually hold employers responsible for an injury on the way to or from the job.