Is My Employer Liable for My Injuries If They Occurred at a Company Retreat?

You’ve been waiting months for your workplace’s company retreat. While you still have to partake in work functions, you can enjoy a change of scenery, nice weather, meet new people, and relax. But, what happens if you get hurt on your company retreat? Is your company responsible for your injuries or are you? Don’t worry. We will explain.

First of all, you should know that workers’ compensation is responsible for covering injuries suffered by an employee during the course of employment. As of now, there are no set-in-stone guidelines as to whether or not an employee who is hurt at a company retreat or work-related event is entitled to workers’ compensation. But, there are a few issues to be considered if you are the victim of this type of injury:

• Whether or not the event was mandatory or voluntary
• Company’s/employer’s involvement in the event
• Policies describing company retreats and other related offsite functions

Mandatory/Voluntary Attendance

In many instances, an employer’s liability depends on whether the company retreat or offsite work function is mandatory or voluntary. If an employee is required to attend the event, an employer may be held accountable under workers’ compensation guidelines. If an event is voluntary, the liability of the employer is limited.

Employer Involvement

If your employer plays a significant role in a work function, it can determine a lot in terms of workers’ compensation. If the employer was a sponsor or substantially funded the event, liability will most likely rely on behalf of the employer. If the event was smaller, much like a speech, workers’ compensation wouldn’t necessarily kick in; unless your employer was the sponsor of the event and you were required to attend.

Company Policies

More and more companies in New Jersey and across the country are beginning to adopt policies in regard to the handling of offsite work functions. These types of policies not only give information pertaining to injury liability and workers’ compensation benefits but also include how employees are paid during these types of events and whether or not they will need to use vacation or sick time if they want to attend (if voluntary).

If you are injured at a company retreat or offsite work function, make sure you are aware of any written language in your employer’s policy before pursuing a workers’ compensation claim. Your employer might have insurance for these types of incidents as well.

Were You Injured?

Then it should be in your best interest to contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone. We can pursue the compensation you deserve if you suffered an injury at a company retreat. Our law offices are one call or click away.