The employee arrived at work early. WHile in the company parking lot the employee is hit by a passerby. The injury is:

• A. Compensable
• B. Non Compensable
• C. Compensable because the employer is required to provide a safe place to work
• D. Non Compensable due to the going and coming rule

Answer: (A)

In California workers’ compensation, the going-and-coming rule generally excludes injuries that happen during ordinary travel to or from work, but there’s an important exception: if the injury occurs on the employer’s premises while the employee is there for work, it can be compensable even if it happens before the shift starts. Here, the injury happened in the company parking lot, which is part of the employer’s premises, and the employee was there for work (arrived early to start the shift). That connection to the job means the injury occurred in the course of employment, so it is compensable. The fact that the employer must provide a safe workplace supports why this protection exists, but the decisive factor is the location and the employee’s presence there for work.