Are You Eligible For Workers’ Comp Benefits If You Work From Home?
Since the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020, how and where many people work looks very different. It’s become common to work remotely from home either full-time, or as part of a hybrid schedule that combines working some days in the office and some from home. What happens when you’re injured while working, but it happens at home? Can this be considered a Workers’ Compensation injury that you can file a claim for?
The Appellate Division of the State of New York has ruled that if a person’s pattern of work is at home, that makes the employee’s residence a place of employment as much as any traditional workplace maintained by their employer. The ruling in Caparo v. Matrix Absence Management entitles the injured worker to the same “presumptions” as an employee who works at a traditional workplace. That means that it’s presumed that an injury occurring at home in the course of an employee’s workday is a work-related injury—unless the Workers’ Compensation insurance carrier can present substantial evidence to the contrary.
In another recent ruling, the New York Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board found that a person who fell at home while walking back to their desk from their paid lunch was in the course of their employment and entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits. Therefore, injuries at home—including falls—may be covered as a work injury. In addition, any overuse-related injuries such as carpel tunnel may be claimed as a work-related condition even if you are working from home.
If you have any questions or would like to know if your job-related injury qualifies—wherever it happened—please call or text Segar & Sciortino at (585) 475-1100 and one of our experienced Workers’ Comp attorneys can assist you, including filing a claim for benefits if you’re eligible.
To learn more about our Workers’ Compensation attorneys, visit our website. And to read about other Workers’ Comp-related topics, please visit our blog.