When you think of workplace injuries, you might imagine accidents in an office, on a construction site or in a factory. However, many jobs require travel beyond the typical workplace. If your job takes you on the road or into the skies, you might wonder about your injury coverage. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there were over 63,000 car crashes in 2021, and many of them involved people traveling for work.
Minnesota provides workers’ compensation for those injured on the job, but does this coverage include work-related travel?
Work-related travel
In Minnesota, to qualify for workers’ compensation due to a travel injury, the travel must serve your employer’s benefit. Regular commutes to and from work usually don’t qualify. But if you’re traveling on a specific task for your employer or if travel is a regular part of your job, injuries during that travel likely qualify for workers’ compensation.
Covered activities
If you attend a business conference in another city for your company and suffer an injury at the conference venue, you could qualify for compensation. But if you stray from your work-related task for personal reasons and an injury occurs, you might not receive coverage.
Exceptions and gray areas
Some exceptions can change the usual rules. For example, if your employer directly provides your transportation or pays for your travel time, injuries during your commute might qualify for coverage. You should always familiarize yourself with the rules and how they apply to your situation.
Proactive steps
Always inform your employer about any injuries that happen during work-related travel right away. Keep records of the incident and any expenses that come from it. These records will prove invaluable if you decide to file a claim.
Minnesota’s workers’ compensation may cover injuries that happen during work-related travel, but the specifics of the situation could determine your eligibility. Staying informed and knowing what to do can help ensure you get the benefits you might need if an unfortunate event happens while traveling for work.