When workers are employed in one state but live in a different state, it can be difficult to understand how workers compensation claims would work in the event of an on the job injury. There are many workers in the tri-state area that are in such a situation and may not file a claim in the correct state.
In the state of Connecticut, where many New York workers may live, the law requires that injured workers filing claims must have a significant relationship with the employers in that state, such as conducting a substantial amount of their work in the state of Connecticut even if the person’s employer is located in a different state.
In a previous case, a salesman who worked for a New Jersey-based company lived in Connecticut. He worked in territories in New York and attended sales meetings at the home base in New Jersey. The worker was injured in a vehicle accident on the job. The worker died a few months later, leaving his estate to file workers compensation claims in the state of Connecticut which was subsequently denied. The estate fought back, claiming the salesman kept a home office in Connecticut which proved a significant relationship in the state but the court noted the home office was not sufficient evidence of a significant relationship as it was more for convenience.
Additionally, the court ruled the salesman was not allowed to conduct business in Connecticut due to the territory being overseen by the deceased’s co-worker. As the salesman conducted the majority of his business in New York, Connecticut courts upheld the decision to deny the claim.
