An employee is injured during a lunch or coffee break on company premises. Is the injury compensable?

• A. Yes
• B. Precludes compensation for an injury sustained in route to or from work
• C. Coming and going
• D. Travel to or from work is deemed to be in the course of employment unless you work at the same place, at set times, and set days

Answer: (A)

The situation tests whether an injury occurring during a break on the employer’s premises is still considered part of the employee’s workday. In California workers’ compensation, if the employee is on the clock, on the employer’s premises, and on a permitted break, the injury is generally within the course of employment and arises out of the employment. That makes the injury compensable.

In this case, the injury happened during a lunch or coffee break while the employee remained on company premises, so it falls under the on-site break scenario and is compensable. The usual rule that injuries in travel to or from work are not covered does not apply here, because the incident did not occur during transit; it occurred on site during a break.