Tennessee Telecommuters Eligible for Workers' Compensation

By Sophia Brink

Published on November 21, 2007

The ruling recognizes telecommuting or working from home as a growing trend. It defines telecommuting as a situation in which an employee uses email, a fax machine, internet access, or other technology in order to work from a location outside a traditional office or factory setting.

For a workers' compensation claim to be valid, however, the injuries sustained must have arisen from work-related duties.

The decision was made in response to a case brought by a Nashville woman. According to the lawsuit, she was allegedly attacked by a neighbor while working at home.

Though the court decided that the woman's status as a telecommuter should not render her ineligible for workers' compensation, her claim was denied. The court found that her injuries did not result from her job duties.

Some expect a flood of new claims by people who work from home. However, whether or not this ruling will result in more claims being filed by telecommuters remains to be seen.