Volunteer Days or Social Events – Compensable?

Maybe so. The Indiana Supreme Court has held that injuries that occur to employees in non-work activities which promote "good will" may be compensable. As with any claim, compensability is a question of fact. You may want to try a two-pronged approach – try to avoid compensability, but in any case avoid injuries. To reduce the likelihood of compensability, have the event off premises and not during work hours, and make sure attendance is strictly voluntary. To reduce accidents, avoid or limit alcoholic beverages, and if you serve alcohol, provide taxis or other forms of transportation to minimize risks.

If it makes business sense to sponsor the activity, don’t let worry of worker’s compensation risk stop you. The exposure for a worker’s compensation claim is defined by statute and is lower than a claim pursued in civil court.

If you have additional questions, please contact Ann Stewart or another member of our Worker's Compensation Group.

This publication is intended for general information purposes only and does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice. The reader should consult with legal counsel to determine how laws or decisions discussed herein apply to the reader’s specific circumstances.