Two employees get into an altercation about something they have to do at work. A hits B. Who is entitled to workers' compensation benefits?

• A. A
• B. B
• C. Both
• D. Neither

Answer: (B)

In California workers’ compensation, injuries that happen in the course of employment are generally covered no matter who’s at fault, but there’s an important exception: if the injury is caused by willful misconduct of the employee who caused it, that employee’s claim can be denied. In a workplace fight, the person who was struck can still receive benefits as long as the injury arose out of and in the course of employment and the injured party did not provoke or participate in the fight with willful misconduct.

So, when A punches B during a work-related altercation, the employee who was struck (B) is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits because the injury occurred on the job and was not caused by B’s own willful misconduct. The punching employee (A) would typically be denied benefits for that injury due to their willful misconduct.