Can A Workplace Injury Occur at Home?
According to a survey conducted by Upwork and reported by CNBC, more than 25% of Americans report they will work from home in 2021. If you telecommute and experience an injury in your home office, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation.
Circumstances of the Injury
Just as if you suffered an injury in a traditional employment setting, the circumstances of the injury influence whether you can receive workers’ compensation. Generally, you are only eligible if you were engaging in your official job duties when the injury happened. Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance provider will carefully review the information about your injury at home to determine whether it will pay or deny the claim.
Hazards in the Home Office
For most people, the dangers in a home office are similar to those in a traditional office setting. For example, if you slip and fall in your kitchen while making lunch during the workday, you could reasonably have a valid workers’ compensation claim. However, workers’ comp would not apply if you ran out for lunch and had a car accident or slipped and fell on your stairs while using the bathroom at night.
When you experience and injury in your Massachusetts home office, you should notify your employer right away. You may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if the injury will prevent you from working for at least five calendar days. Workers’ comp is a no-fault system, which means you can potentially receive benefits even if your actions caused the injury.