Are You An Out-Of-State Employee Injured While Working In Connecticut? What To Know About Workers’ Compensation

Many people who work in Connecticut live in New York, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island. Whether you work in Connecticut on a daily basis, work in the state on a semi-regular basis, or are working on a one-time project in state, there is always the risk of a workplace accident. You need to know what to do to get compensation to cover medical care and help your bills.

This raises an important question: Where does an out-of-state resident who is injured in Connecticut file for workers’ compensation? The answer depends on the specific circumstances of their case. Here our provides an overview of the key things to know about out-of-state employees, workers’ comp, and jurisdictional issues in Connecticut.

Connecticut Law: Workers’ Compensation Coverage

 As a starting point, it is important to clarify that you may be covered by workers’ compensation insurance in Connecticut regardless of your state of residency. For the purposes of Connecticut’s workers’ compensation law, your place of employment is the key factor. That being said, Connecticut General Statutes Title 31. Labor § 31-275(3)(vi) holds that a non-resident is not an “employee” for the purposes of Connecticut’s mandatory workers’ compensation law unless they:

1. Work for an employer located in Connecticut for at least 50 percent of the time; or
2. Work under an employment contract that is being performed within Connecticut.

In other words, if you are an out-of-state resident and you work in Connecticut on a full-time basis, then you are covered by our state’s workers’ comp laws. You are also covered by Connecticut law if you work in the state at least half of the time or you are working under an employment contract and work is being performed in the state.

Workers’ Compensation and Extraterritorial Issues 

Are you an employee from New York, Connecticut, or Rhode Island who works in Connecticut less than half of the time? If so, your work injury claim is likely governed by the laws of your home state—even if the accident/incident occurred at a work site in Connecticut. Workers’ comp insurance generally provides extraterritorial coverage—meaning the insurance coverage can be extended to provide benefits for workers hired in one state, but who are injured in a separate state. In some cases, there can be some complex concurrent jurisdictional issues that need to be worked out. If you were hurt on the job in Connecticut, an experienced workers’ comp lawyer can review your case and help you determine where you should file to gain the maximum allowable benefits. 

Call our Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Attorney for Immediate Assistance 

At Morizio Law Firm, P.C., our Connecticut workers’ comp lawyer has the skills, knowledge, and expertise to represent out-of-state employees, including from Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. If you are from another state and you were hurt on-the-job in Connecticut, we can help. Give us a call or contact us today for your free, no obligation consultation. With a law office in Strafford, our firm provides’ work injury representation throughout the State of Connecticut.