Is a person who gets hurt at work playing basketball covered by worker's comp?

Answer 1

It is my understanding that the strict answer to this is an absolute "NO"--- unless that person has as their principal duty on the job the task of playing Basketball. This is not the same interpretation as would apply to basketball players in any league. Workman's Compensation, as a concept, is to be applied in instances of an injury sustained by a workman during the regular course of their job, as a means of alleviating the burden an injury will incur. It is meant as a vehicle to aid the worker who was doing their job, on the specified jobsite, during the hours specified, and got hurt. It is not meant to be a ticket to monetary reward by an employee who fell in the company gymnasium and got hurt. In that instance, if any compensation is due, it would come through the liability insurance carried by the resident of the property upon whose premises the injury occurred; and, in most instances, participation in activities of a recreational nature require that the participants sign waivers of liability prior to receiving access to such facilities. In those cases, the individual's own insurance policies would cover any injury; and, if that individual was precluded from working as a result, the employer would treat their absence as any other instance of missing work due to accident off-site.