Injury Onsite During an Unpaid Break

The general rule is that an injury onsite during an unpaid break is compensable based upon the personal comfort doctrine. Most acts of an employee which occur on the work premises during normal working hours not expressly prohibited by the employer, and which may be reasonably contemplated by the employment relationship are considered to be within the course of employment, so that injuries arising from such acts are compensable. Such non-prohibited, reasonably contemplated behavior extends to acts which are for the employees own personal comfort on the premises of the employer during work hours.