Employee Recreation: Expectancy, Liability, and Case Analysis

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Conversely, an off-duty recreational activity is a “reasonable expectancy” of employment if the employee is placed under direct or indirect employer influence and is pressured to perform said activity. Kidwell, 33 Cal. App. 4th at 1139. In the Kidwell case, petitioner Linda Burnett Kidwell (Ms. Kidwell) suffered an injury to her thumb while practicing a standing long jump – a required annual mandatory physical performance program (PPP) fitness test – in her home. If she passed the PPP fitness test, she could receive special benefits and, due to her past failures, received tips on how to practice from colleagues. Id.
CCP granted a denial of her application on the “grounds that [Ms. Kidwell’s] injury did not arise out of and in the course of …show more content…

§ 3600 (a)(9); Kidwell, 33 Cal. App. 4th at 1136. The court examined the reasoning CHP gave in denying Ms. Kidwell and found that it was “pure sophistry”. Kidwell, 33 Cal. App. 4th at 1138. In Kidwell, the court noted that an employer’s “indirect encouragement” creates a less than voluntary action from the employee. Id. at 1136. The activity Ms. Kidwell engaged in was simply a “requisite protocol[] of the annual PPP fitness test” and, for that reason, taken to be less than voluntary. Id. at 1138. The court emphasized that it would be unreasonable for CHP to determine that practice was not necessary to pass the PPP fitness test. In addition, the passing of the test gave incentives to Ms. Bennett that would otherwise be a detriment. Id. at 1139. Consequently, the court reasoned that the employer indirectly influenced and pressured Ms. Bennett to take part of the PPP fitness test and, therefore, her belief was objectively reasonable and her injuries were compensable. …show more content…

Bennett’s case is distinguishable from the Kidwell case, in which the court held that off-duty long jump practice is a “reasonable expectancy” of employment because the employee is placed under direct or indirect employer influence and is pressured to perform said activity. Kidwell, 33 Cal. App. 4th at 1139. In the Kidwell case, the facts showed that there was mandatory testing required of the employee. Id. Conversely, Mr. Bennett did not have any required physical testing. Further, unlike the Kidwell case, in which passing an exam would lead to higher pay and other opportunities would become available, id., in Mr. Bennet’s case there was no disadvantage in not maintaining himself physically fit and promotion was contingent on factors such as attendance, performance evaluations, and other similar factors. Finally, unlike the colleagues in the Kidwell case who gave the employee tips on how to pass her required exam, id. at 1534-35, Mr. Bennett had only received a general reminder to maintain himself in good physical shape by the Fire Captain and nothing else was said on what activities he should partake

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