Are You Liable For Employees' Game-Related Injuries? Protect yourself and your employees from confusion when participating in a sporting event.
If you want to minimize the chance you'll be held liable for game-related injuries, follow these guidelines:
- Avoid holding sporting events on your company's premises or on company time.
- Make sure employees know their participation is strictly voluntary and that they're playing at their own risk. Consider having employees sign a waiver to that effect.
- Limit company participation to publicity and paying the bills. Let team members handle such matters as scheduling and equipment purchases.
- Don't let employees think they're being paid to play.
What's the bottom line? Be aware that there's no ironclad guarantee that you'll avoid liability, especially under workers' compensation laws. In particular, a court may not recognize a waiver. A bit of risk may be the price for the benefits of having a company team.
