The Appellate Court reversed the decision of the workers’ compensation judge, finding the “travel-time” exception to the going-and-coming rule does not apply where a salaried employee is reimbursed for gas, tolls, and wear and tear on his vehicle, but was not paid wages for the time of his commute to and from work.
In Scott v. Foodarama, 398 N.J. Super. 441 (App. Div. 2008), the Appellate Division found that the claimant was merely driving to work when the accident happened, and was barred from receiving compensation for injuries sustained on his commute. In other words, the claimant was engaged in his normal commute. The fact that his commuting expenses were paid by the employer did not make the claim fall “within the course of” his employment.
What makes this case notable is that the claimant was actually reimbursed for his commuting expenses by the employer. (Decided February 27, 2008, link to full decision: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/courts/appellate/a3936-06.opn.html)
