Sarun Laowong
An Australian government staffer is suing her employer after a glass light fixture fell on her face in a motel during a business trip.
The government's workplace safety body rejected the woman's claim because she was having sex when the light came tumbling down, and sex, unlike showering, sleeping or eating, is not "an ordinary incident of an overnight stay," nor is it necessary.
The woman's lawyer begged to differ, saying sex was "an ordinary incident of life," one that's rather common in motel rooms at night. He added there was no rule barring employees from having visitors in their rooms during business trips.
In her workers' compensation claim, the woman cited injuries to her nose, mouth and tooth, as well as a psychological "adjustment disorder" after the light fell from the wall above her bed midway through sex.
In his unfortunate statement, her paramour said they were "going hard."
"I do not know if we bump the light or it just fell off," he offered.
The woman said she's entitled to compensation because her injuries were sustained "during the course of her employment."
The federal government had shipped her to a small country town the night before an early morning meeting.
Does she deserve compensation?
Zosia Bielski