State proposes to add parking lots under comp eligibility

Lawmakers in New Jersey are considering legislation that would make accidents that occurred in employer parking lots compensable under workers compensation.

S.B. 818 would amend the state’s workers compensation code to redefine premises and when an employee starts his or her work day.

“Employment shall also be deemed to commence, if an employer provides or designates a parking area for use by an employee, when an employee arrives at the parking area prior to reporting for work and shall terminate when an employee leaves the parking area at the end of a work period,” according to a draft of the bill, introduced in the Senate on Thursday and referred to the Senate Labor Committee.

The bill also states that “if the site of the parking area is separate from the place of employment, an employee shall be deemed to be in the course of employment while the employee travels directly from the parking area to the place of employment prior to reporting for work and while the employee travels directly from the place of employment to the parking area at the end of a work period.”