A worker is injured while cleaning up after a meeting that involved drinking. How is this injury typically treated under workers' compensation?

• A. The injury is compensable because the drinking was condoned by the supervisor
• B. The injury is not compensable because attendance was voluntary
• C. The injury is compensable because attendance at the meeting was mandatory
• D. The injury is compensable because it occurred during work hours

Answer: (A)

In this scenario, the reason the injury is deemed compensable is that the drinking was condoned by the supervisor. When an activity related to work, such as a meeting, includes alcohol consumption that is authorized by a manager or supervisor, it creates a scenario where the employer can be held responsible for injuries that occur during this activity. This means that the context of the injury (cleaning up after a meeting where drinking was agreed upon by management) aligns it closely with work-related duties, potentially making it compensable under workers' compensation laws.

Attendance being voluntary or mandatory can influence the compensability of injuries, but in this case, the acceptance of drinking at the meeting outweighs these factors. If attendance was voluntary, it could disqualify compensation; however, the supervisor's condoning of the drinking establishes a level of work-related responsibility from the employer's side, making the injury compensable under workers' compensation laws.