Managing Remote Employees During COVID-19
There was a time when working from home was considered a perk. Today, in the midst of a global pandemic, it has quickly become the norm.
Working from home has afforded companies a way to stay productive while minimizing the risk of employees transmitting COVID-19. However, without proper planning, companies may find themselves exposed to myriad other risks.
I’d like to touch on three common areas of risk for companies with employees operating remotely.
Insurance coverage
Even when an employee is working off-site, the employer is still liable if an injury occurs on work time. As strange as it may sound, if an employee is walking across her kitchen to get on a Zoom call, trips over her child’s toy and is injured, she will likely be protected under a Worker’s Compensation claim.
A 2006 case, Verizon Pennsylvania Inc. v. Workers Compensation Appeal Board Alston affirmed that employees working from home, even if injured while doing non-work things such as getting a drink of water, are covered.