Illinois lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that would clarify that injuries sustained by employees while traveling to and from work do not arise out of and in the course of employment except under a few circumstances.
H.B. 2965 would modify existing statutes to clarify that an accident while traveling to and from the workplace is not compensable. The bill also states that injuries that occur as a result of an employee engaging in a personal errand or taking a personal risk would also be excluded from compensability.
Under the legislation, travel-related injuries may be compensable if the employee sustains the injury while traveling away from the worksite at the direction of the employer to perform duties, but that whether the employer reimbursed the worker for travel expenses and whether the worker was directed to travel a certain route are to be considered in the determination of whether the accident occurred within the course and scope of employment.
If signed into law, the legislation would take effect immediately.
This article was first published in Business Insurance.
