Most people employed in Wisconsin are covered under the state’s workers’ compensation program. This provides benefits to pay for medical care and lost wages if you are injured on the job. Knowing the parameters of what is considered “on the job” is important in the event that you need to seek these benefits.
As explained by the State of Wisconsin Workers’ Compensation Division, an injury received while at your place of employment and experienced in the course of performing your job is likely to be covered. This even includes exterior areas such as parking lots. If you are on a break but at your employer’s location and are injured, you may well qualify for workers’ compensation.
If you must leave your employer’s location to perform some portion of your job, such as making a work-related delivery or running a business errand, you may be covered by workers’ compensation if an injury occurs. However, if you decide to run personal errands while out also running work errands and your injury happens in the course of taking care of your personal needs, you may not qualify for workers’ compensation. If your job requires you to travel, you are generally covered by workers’ compensation at all times during your trip, including during actual travel and until your trip has been completed.
If you would like to learn more about your potential coverage by workers’ compensation for an injury, please feel free to visit the employment qualifications page of our Wisconsin workers’ compensation website.
