The issue is whether Eric Avogardo is barred from a direct claim against the gas station because his employment falls under a casual employee and/or independent contractor?
An employee is defined as someone that performs a “service for an employer for financial consideration.” N.J.S.A. 34:15-36. The definition of an employee should be broadly construed by New Jersey courts. Hannigan v. Goldfarb, 53 N.J.Super. 190, 195 (App. Div. 1958). Most importantly, the employment relationship requires an expectation of payment. Cerniglia v. City of Passaic, 50 N.J.Super. 201, 208 (App. Div. 1958)
I. Casual Employment
The New Jersey Workers Compensation Act (“Act”) does not apply to employees whose work was casual in nature or not in the regular
…show more content…
John H. Geaney, Geaney’s New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Manual for Attorneys, Physicians, Adjusters and Employers (2017). The courts in the majority of those cases find that the injured workers to be employees. Id. New Jersey courts developed flexible tests to define the independent contractor defense very narrowly. Id. Additionally, New Jersey courts focus on different factors as opposed to the analysis performed by the Internal Revenue Service. Id.
New Jersey courts define an independent contractor as one who “contracts to do a piece of work according to his own methods, and without being subject to the control of his employer as to the means by which the result is to be accomplished, but only as to the result of the work.” Cappadonna v. Passaic Motors, 136 N.J.L. 299, 300, (Sup. Ct. 1947), aff'd, 137 N.J.L. 661 (1948). There are two tests used to determine whether an employee was an independent contractor: (1) the control test and (2) the relative nature of the work test.
A. Control
…show more content…
The relative nature of the work test is “essentially an economic and functional one, and the determinative Criteria [sic] not the inconclusive details of the arrangement between the parties, but rather the extent of the economic dependence of the worker upon the business he serves and the relationship of the nature of his work to the operation of that business.” Marcus v. E. Agr. Ass'n, Inc., 58 N.J. Super. 584, 603 (App. Div. 1959), rev'd. Marcus v. E. Agric. Ass'n, Inc., 32 N.J. 460 (1960). There are two fundamental questions that have to be explored: (1) is the work an integral part of the regular business, and (2) is the employee economically dependent on the
On Monday, 11-16-2015 she recalled the claimant had punched in early for work that morning and did not say anything to her until shortly later around mid-morning when the claimant came into her office. She said the claimant was brief with her when she requested to file a Workers’ Compensation claim for her alleged right wrist injury coupled with pain to her right fingers. She claimed that her injury was work-related, and her injury occurred on 11-12-2015.
Almanza further claimed she nor her administrative staff of office employees were informed by the claimant or from the claimant’s two Supervisors, Mr. Jose Maldonado, and his brother who is deceased, Mr. Estevan Maldonado that the claimant had any internal complaints or issues. She said the claimant’s work performance was never an issue and that there was no anticipation of any pending layoffs or workplace harassment issues for any related industrial stressors. She said both brothers supervised the claimant and from her knowledge, she never received any incident reports or complaints from either Supervisors that suggested the claimant may have suffered from a slip or fall at his job where he may have injured his head or back.
On Thursday, 10/22/2015 the claimant stated he reported for work pain-free and was not suffering from any pain or discomfort from four other work related injuries that he reported as claims and received judgments. The claimant was unable to account for the real dates of his past work-related injuries that occurred between 2010 and 1/2013. The claimants past industrial-related injuries ranged from a left wrist injury, head injury and two separate right wrist injuries which he says did not include any injury to any other body parts.
The main features of legislation relating to contracts of employment are outlined in the terms and conditions within a contract of employment. Information about this is included in the handbook for the NJC currently known as the Green Book. Contracts help to protect the rights and responsibilities of both the employer and the employee. Contracts must contain general information about the employee and the employment in which they have been employed: this includes information on the employee's name, date of commencement of employment, position appointed ,employment conditions, rights and responsibilities of the employee, expected duties and information on grade and point scale in relation to pay. Employees are expected by law to follow the terms set out in their contract until employment is terminated by either party.
Three cases are relevant to understanding this rule. In Williams, the court found a drive-in liable for an employee accidentally shooting a customer. The
a) temporary or permanent disability benefit under a Workers’ Compensation Law, occupation disease law, or similar law;
only defense as his employer, is that under the Title VII, I must try to reasonably accommodate
Section 11 of the Workers’ Compensation law states “The liability of an employer prescribed by the last proceeding section shall be exclusive and in place of any other
 Misrepresentation of claims experience. Employers hide previous claims by classifying employees as independent contractors or leased
The definition of 'employee' and 'worker' differs slightly from one area of legislation to another, but generally workers have less rights
The court concluded they made a mistake in not ruling that the issue of personal injury must be determined under the Workers ' Compensation Act. The disposition on this issue eliminated the need to discuss the sufficiency of the evidence and other arguments relating to the amount of damages for personal injury and the fairness of the trial on that aspect of the case. It is somewhat unclear how Kerr-McGee determined that the federal regulation of nuclear energy prevents application of the workers ' compensation law for injuries on the job. The existence here of significant damage to Silkwood 's personal property in her apartment required the court to consider additional issues recognized in the appeal. In conclusion, the Workers ' Compensation Act applies only to
California law requires employers to have Workers’ Compensation Insurance. Even out-of-state employers may need Workers’ Compensation Insurance coverage if an employee is regularly employed in California or a contract of employment is entered into here. All California employers must provide Workers’ Compensation Insurance benefits to their employees under California Labor Code Section 3700. There are five basic types of Workers’ Compensation Insurance benefits – medical care, temporary disability benefits, permanent disability benefits, vocational rehabilitation services, and death benefits. In California, all employers, whether large or small, are required to have coverage for their employees with Workers’ Compensation Insurance. An employee
C. Full-time employees receive workman’s compensation in the event of an injury, why shouldn't they?
When looking at the facts in this situation and comparing them to the relevant factors of the test, Kary the peanut vendor will be an employee, not an independent contractor. A decent amount of the factors weigh heavily in showing that Kary is an employee. The first relevant factor is number one on the list. This is the “existence of the right of the employer to require compliance with instructions.” (Crawford, 17 Kan. App. 2d. at 710, 845 P.2d at 706). As Sample hired Kary the peanut vendor, the right to have her follow his instructions is very high as he is now her boss. She is required to be compliant with his rules as he hired her. He offered her the job and she accepted. There may not be a written contract, but there is a hand-shake deal
* true despite written agreements that may state employee is not regular (prevent lopsided agreements and manipulations to keep employee on casual status)