Good Sports Who's liable for injuries to a company athletic team?

Sponsoring employee athletic teams builds camaraderie, name recognition and company pride. It can also lead to injuries, workers' compensation claims and even lawsuits over liability.

Consider a Missouri case decided last November. A St. Louis restaurant chain sponsored a series of athletic competitions among the chain's locations. During a basketball game, one employee banged his knee against a wall and needed surgery. His workers' compensation claim was initially denied, but the Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission eventually ruled in favor of the employee.

The question in cases like this is whether playing the game was essentially part of the job. Are employees required or strongly urged to play? Did the company provide alcohol, which may impair judgment and increase the likelihood of injury?