The rule provides that travel between home and a fixed workplace is not within the course of employment, so commute injuries are not compensable.
Recognized exceptions include employer-provided transportation, special missions or errands, travel between job sites, and employees with no fixed workplace.
Alternative Names:
Coming and Going Rule, Commute Rule
Why it Matters?
The exceptions swallow much of the rule in practice, particularly for employees who travel between sites, respond to calls outside normal hours, or use employer vehicles. The dual purpose analysis, where a trip serves both personal and business ends, is a frequent battleground. For employers the practical control is clarity about when work travel begins and whether personal use of company vehicles is authorized.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
When does the commute become compensable?
What is the dual purpose doctrine?
