If you’ve been in HR for about a day you’ve had to deal with Worker’s Compensation claims and the longer you’re in HR the better the claims get. This recent worker’s compensation claim from an Australian employee, though, might actually win (assuming this whole HR thing is a contest of who has the best story). From the Sidney Morning Herald:
“The female Commonwealth public servant at the centre of the case, whose name has been suppressed, was required to travel to regional NSW in 2007 and stayed at a motel booked by her employer.
She arranged to meet a male friend and, after going out for dinner, the pair went to her motel room and had sex.
In a statement in previous court hearings, the woman’s sexual partner said they were ”going hard” when a light fitting was pulled from the wall and fell on her. She suffered wounds to her nose and mouth, as well as psychological injuries, and has faced a lengthy legal battle to receive a payout.
Her claim was initially accepted by Comcare, but was revoked in 2010 and reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which found sexual activity was ”not an ordinary incident of an overnight stay like showering, sleeping, eating”.
The woman appealed against that decision in the Federal Court and won in April last year, a judge finding the injuries were suffered in the course of her employment.”
So, here’s the game – most HR pros already know this, but for the new HR Pros – In the comments share you craziest worker’s compensation claim. While you think the one example above can’t be beat – well, you’ve never played this game before!
Here’s mine:
“…”
You know what – I don’t have one even close to the example above. You win Australia.
It’s great to win at something – proud to be an Aussie!