Beyond the Office Walls: Where Workers’ Comp Coverage Extends

When most people think about workers’ compensation, they picture a fall in an office or an accident on a job site. But the reality is that workers' comp covers a much broader range of locations—many of which may surprise you. The key phrase that determines eligibility is whether the injury occurred “out of and in the course of employment.” Let’s explore the range of scenarios and locations where an injury could still qualify for workers’ comp coverage.

1. Traditional Workspaces: Offices, Job Sites and Company Buildings

This is the most straightforward case. If you're injured in your regular workplace—whether a high-rise office or a company-owned warehouse—you’re almost certainly covered. Examples include:

  • Slipping on a wet floor in the breakroom
  • Tripping over office cords
  • Repetitive stress injuries from typing or lifting
  • Injuries arising out of the use of heavy machinery 
  • Driving a car or truck for your employer

2. Remote Work and Home Offices

With the rise of remote work, many employees now perform their duties from home. Surprisingly to some, injuries sustained while working from home can be compensable, if they occur during working hours and while performing work tasks. Examples:

  • Falling down stairs while retrieving a work file
  • Strain injuries from poor workstation setup
  • Burns or electrical injuries while using work equipment

However, personal activities (e.g., doing laundry between Zoom meetings) usually fall outside the bounds of coverage.

3. Traveling for Work: The Road Counts Too

If you're traveling as part of your job, any injuries sustained during the trip—driving to a client meeting, visiting a job site, or flying to a conference—are likely covered. This includes:

  • Car accidents while driving to meet a customer
  • Slips in a hotel lobby while attending a trade show
  • Injuries at an off-site event required by the employer

But commuting from home to your regular office usually is not covered (known as the “coming and going” rule), unless you're on a “special mission” for your employer.

4. Client Sites and Off-Premise Locations

If your work takes you to a client’s place of business or another off-site location, injuries that occur there while performing job duties are also compensable. Examples:

  • Falling down stairs at a client's office
  • Being injured while setting up a product demo
  • Chemical exposure while servicing equipment on-site

Even if the employer doesn’t control the space, the injury is covered if the activity benefits the employer.

5. Company-Sponsored Events

Social and recreational events like holiday parties, team-building retreats, or company picnics can sometimes fall under workers' comp—especially if attendance is required or strongly encouraged. Injuries during:

  • An organized softball game
  • A company-sponsored happy hour
  • An employer-paid wellness retreat

...could potentially be covered if there's a clear connection to work duties or company benefit.

6. Parking Lots and Entryways

If you’re injured in a parking lot or building entrance, whether it’s company-owned or leased, coverage may apply depending on employer control and timing. For instance:

  • Slipping on ice in the company parking lot before a shift
  • Tripping on uneven concrete in a shared office plaza

Coverage depends on whether the area is considered part of the workplace and whether the injury occurred during work-related activities.

7. Gray Areas: Breaks and Lunch Hours

Generally, injuries that occur during personal breaks (e.g., lunch off-site) are not covered. However, exceptions exist:

  • Running a work errand during lunch (e.g., picking up office supplies)
  • Eating lunch on-premises in a designated break area
  • Being injured at a company-hosted lunch event

The rule here hinges on whether the activity still benefits the employer or falls within the employee’s expected duties.

Conclusion: It's All About the "Course and Scope"

Workers' comp coverage isn’t bound by geography—it follows you wherever your job takes you, as long as you’re acting within the scope of employment. Employers should educate their workforce on what qualifies, and employees should report injuries promptly, even if they occur in unconventional settings.

When in doubt, ask: Was I doing something that benefited my employer when the injury occurred? If the answer is yes, you may have a valid claim—even if it happened far from your office desk.

 

If you've been injured at work, give us a call at 816-421-3400.

 

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