A call center agent who sustained a fractured arm when a co-worker played a trick on her during lunch break gets ECC disability benefits from ECC.

ECC maintains that an accident at the workplace due to horseplay, larking or practical joke is compensable especially if the injured employee is a non-participating victim.

The ECC explained that accident as arising in the course of employment refers to the time, place, and circumstances under which the accident takes place and this includes injuries sustained by workers due to a joke inside the working premises. Thus, the injury sustained by the call center agent in consequence of practical joke is compensable under the EC Program.

The ECC added that for future cases with similar circumstances, injury sustained by an employee due to accident that occurred at the work place should be considered as compensable except when such injury is caused by voluntary intent of the employee to inflict such injury upon himself/herself or another person; drunkenness on the part of the employee; and notorious negligence.

An employee who met work-related injury in the course of employment may receive EC disability benefits and medical reimbursements.

Under Presidential Decree No. 626 as amended, the EC Program provides loss-of-income benefits, medical benefits, rehabilitation services, carer’s allowance and death benefits.