Court Opinion

ID: 9824405
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 10:44:58.951127+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:39:45.106783
License: Public Domain

WINCHESTER, J.,
with whom Kauger, and Taylor, JJ., join, dissenting:
T1 I respectfully dissent, The legislature made a policy decision to draw a clear line for the employer and employee that the "clock" began and ended the employer's liability under Workers' Compensation, unless directed otherwise by the employer. The definition section of the Workers' Compensation law defines "course and scope of employment" and excludes an employee's transportation to and from the place of employment and excludes injury occurring in a parking lot before the employee clocks in or begins work for the employer.1 The majority have now ruled that the employee is within the course and seope of employment when entering the parking lot, even though the employee is not clocked in.
T2 The whole context of the statute revolves around what the legislature has excluded from falling within the phrase "course and scope of employment." The term doesn't include an employee's transportation to and from the place of employment, travel by an employee on behalf of the employer if the travel also includes personal or private affairs of the employee, injury during a work break unless the break is authorized by the employer and inside the employer's facility, and of course, injury occurring in a parking lot next to, the employer's place of business before clocking in. A generalization can be made. If not clocked in, which reflects the beginning of work, an employee is not covered by Worker's Compensation because that employee is not within the course and seope of employment. Travel to the workplace, in and of itself is not within the course and seope of employment until the employee performs tasks recognized as the beginning of work, To make that clear, the legislature eliminates from "course and seope of employment," accidents in the employer's parking lot, If parking lot accidents are eliminated by the statute then Workers' Compensation does not cover such injuries.
' 3 Workers' Compensation is not an exclusive remedy if the statutes specifically eliminate parking lot injuries as coming within the "course and scope of employment." If there is actionable negligence for a parking lot injury, it is still covered by tort law. The Court's opinion holds that "A parking lot owned or controlled by the employer alone clearly constitutes the 'premiges' of such employer, and is part of the 'employer's place of business." However, if the legislature has intentionally excluded the parking lot from the jurisdiction of Workers' Compensation law, the "premises" doctrine is no longer valid, The legislature has the authority and *567power to make such an exception. I conclude that it "clearly" made such an exception.
T4 This type of accident fits within the. category of a "going and coming injury," which is described in Grakam Public Schools v. Priddy, 2014 OK 80, T1, 828 P.8d 1190, 1191. What this Court has declared to be the law based on construction of former statutes, the legislature has specifically and intentionally rejected by current statute.

. 85A O.S.Supp.2014, § 2(13) provides: "'Course and scope 'of employment' means an activity of any kind or character for which the employee was hired and that relates to and derives from the work, business, trade or profession of an employer, and is performed by an employee in the furtherance of the affairs or business of an employer, The term includes activities conducted on the premises of an employer or at other locations designated by an employer and travel by an employee in furtherance of the affairs of an employer that is specifically directed by the employer. This term does not include:
"a. an employee's transportation to and from his or her place of employment,
"b. travel by an employee in furtherance of the affairs of an employer if the travel is also in furtherance of personal or private affairs of the employee,
"c. any injury occurring in a parking lot or other common area adjacent to an employer's place of business before the employee clocks in or otherwise begins work for the employer or after the employee clocks out or otherwise stops work for the employer, or
"d. any infury occurring while an employee is on a work break, unless the injury occurs while the employee is on a work break inside the employer's facility and the work break is authorized by the employee's supervisor...."