[TELEGRAPH.CO.UK] Australia's highest court has ruled a bureaucrat injured while having sex on a work trip is not entitled to workers' compensationKeep this in mind next time you get fired up in Kansas City...
The bureaucrat, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was hospitalised in November 2007 after a glass light fitting above a bed she was having sex in fell onto her face injuring her nose and mouth.
"Owwww! It broke by node! By node id broke!"
The woman also suffered psychological injury.
"Owww! By psyche! By psyche id broke!"
The woman was visiting a regional office observing the budget review process, meeting regional staff and undertaking training -- and staying in a motel room booked by her employer.
They left the light on for her...
According to the court transcript the fitting was pulled from its mount either by the woman or by her acquaintance.
"Harold! Don't swing from the... [CRASH!]"
The important test case was brought by Comcare, the government's insurer, which said it centred on whether the woman was "considered 'in the course of employment' for workers' compensation purposes."
"Yer honor, her contract of employment don't say nothin' about no damn chandeliers!"
"It wudn't a chandelier! It wuz a light fixture!"
The ruling, which would have flow-on effects for other compensation cases, shows that in order to be eligible for compensation Australian workers must be "expressly or impliedly induced or encouraged by the employer" to undertake an activity which leads to injury.
So if it'd been her boss swinging from the chandelier she'd have been covered?