Home Sweet Office? Only if Employer Agrees, Courts Say

Tripping over the dog is not compensable. But slipping on ice in the driveway? Maybe. Those are the fine lines that appeals courts have drawn this year, as case law for the growing amount of telecommuting around the country continues to evolve. A key point that seems to be emerging: The employer must agree that the home is an office before an injury can qualify for workers' compensation benefits. The latest case, hailed as landmark ruling in one respect but a question mark in another, comes from the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. In Schwan Food Co. v. Frederick, the court in lat...