When practical jokes go awry, physical injury is not the only possible undesirable outcome. This type of thing was not just condoned, it was encouraged, and seen as part of the company culture. The big difference here was that the employer in the second case actually encouraged pranks and practical jokes as a way to improve employee morale. But in the chair-lowering case, the court ruled that the conduct was within the course and scope of employment. Therefore, the employer was not liable for the rather substantial injuries. The court found that when an employee departs from his or her job duties for personal reasons while at the workplace, even if the employee is on the premises and using company property for her personal endeavor, the employer is not responsible for the employee’s conduct. In the paintball case described above, a court determined that the conduct did not occur in the course and scope of employment. If the injured person was not an employee, workers’ compensation does not apply and the employer could be fully responsible for any injuries sustained. If yes-and if this targeted employee was physically injured-the targeted employee can bring a workers’ compensation claim. If the practical joke took place in the course and scope of employment, the next thing to consider is whether or not the target of the joke was a fellow employee. The determining factor is whether or not the practical joke took place “in the course and scope of employment.” If so, while the employer and employee technically share responsibility, everyone knows that it is the employer who has the “deep pockets.” When practical jokes in the work place go wrong, sometimes the employer and employee are jointly responsible for the resulting consequences other times the employee is solely responsible. Once again, an unexpected result which was not funny at all and also resulted in an injury. When this co-worker returned and attempted to sit down, she injured her back when she fell into the chair abruptly. (2007) WL 1806850)Īn employee at another company thought it would be a funny practical joke to lower her co-worker’s chair while the co-worker was out of the office.
One projectile struck Josh directly in the eye, causing permanent and irreversible blindness in that eye-an unexpected result which was decidedly not funny and resulted in a severe injury. After Josh removed his protective face mask-apparently assuming Kathy simply wanted to greet him-she shot him with a (borrowed) paintball gun. Thinking it would be a funny practical joke to surprise one of the players, a 14-year-old named Josh, she coaxed Josh to come over. Kathy, a water systems engineer responsible for maintaining the water treatment plants located in a small community in the Sierra Mountains, was on the job when she heard a group of kids that she knew playing paintball. What happens when practical jokes are played in the work place and things go awry? Here are just two examples: But practical jokes are one thing when you’re a kid or teenager, and quite another when you’re an adult in the work place.
Lots of people have fond memories of pulling practical jokes on one another back when they were in camp, high school, college, or at home. April 1 st, commonly referred to as “April Fool’s Day,” has arrived.
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