Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen - December 2019 | Page 18

Workers’ Compensation
Bowling Case gets
Overturned on Appeal
By Kari Hebrank,
Executive Vice
President, NUCA
of Florida
Your NUCA of Florida Advocacy
Team tries to stay abreast of the
top issues that impact your day-
to-day operations, and we are
constantly learning new issues as
the members’ share their industry
challenges with us. One of the
recurring issues we monitor is
workers’ compensation as we
know the premium rates that
are paid to protect both your
company and your employees
are some of the highest in the
business community. Each
Legislative Session we support
bills that could result in reduced
premiums and oppose initiatives
that could raise rates without any
additional protection to injured
workers. However, one way rates
are impacted comes not from the
Legislature’s activity but from the
court system as evidenced by
the case Reynolds v. Anixter Power
Solutions .
Recently, a lady named Karen
Reynolds sued her employer
when workers’ compensation
benefits were denied her for an
ankle injury she sustained during
an employer-sponsored bowling
incident during regular work
hours. The bowling activity with
co-workers was intended to be
a morale booster for employees
to network and discuss some of
the company’s goals for the next
year. The court determined that
since the bowling was conducted
during regular work hours and
one purpose of the event was to
discuss goals for the upcoming
year, this case was different from
Whitehead v. Orange County
Sheriff’s Department, 909 So.
One of the recurring issues we monitor is workers’
compensation as we know the premium rates that
are paid to protect both your company and your
employees are some of the highest in the business
community.
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DITCHMEN • DECEMBER 2019