Depending on the particular situation, a worker may be qualified for workers' compensation payments should they be injured while on their way to work during a storm. Work-related travel is included in workers' compensation, which is meant to cover workers who sustain injuries while engaged in tasks connected to their employment. Still, the coverage relies on whether the trip fits under the purview of employment.
Workers' compensation only applies if the travel is work-related, that is if the employee is traveling for a job-related activity such as meetings, product delivery, or job site visit. Whether it's from icy roads, wind, or water, if the worker is harmed in an accident while performing these tasks during a storm—that is, whether it's workers' compensation covers those injuries. This covers mishaps, including automobile crashes, falls and slips, or other risks discovered on the route.
Determining eligibility typically depends on the idea of being "within the scope of employment." Usually, the damage would be paid if the worker was working on a project directly benefiting the company or one mandated by the employment. For instance, workers' compensation coverage would probably cover injuries a delivery driver sustains in an accident connected to a storm.
There are a few exceptions, though. Workers' compensation may not cover injuries sustained by a worker who deviates from their job responsibilities for personal reasons, say running personal errands, and gets harmed during that period. This is known as a "frolic" or a "detour," whereby a temporary personal errand may not be covered if it had no bearing on employment. Compensation might still apply, though, should the worker sustain injuries while momentarily stopping for lunch or completing a duty deemed incidental to their employment.
Another factor is if the employee—perhaps a salesperson or technician—whose job requires frequent travel is a traveling worker. As long as their activities are work-related, these employees—who are either staying in hotels or traveling between sites during a storm—often have workers' compensation coverage.
Generally speaking, providing workers engaged in activities connected to their employment, they are probably protected by workers' compensation should they be harmed while en route to their workplace during a storm. The main determinant is whether the trip fits the parameters of employment rather than personal interests.