Scans from Forty Years of Electrical Progress The Story of the G.E.C. A popular and informing account of a great British enterprise. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If I ask such a question, I should answer it myself, I suppose. I’m sure I must have at some point but right now I don’t remember any specific instances (so clearly any indiscretions were not that memorable!). I do recall several of us being asked to leave a spa pool at about 3 am one morning at a conference. We were being too noisy. Too many shots at the bar earlier in the night, I suspect.
Today I noticed the case by a female government employee for compensation for physical and psychological injuries incurred when a light fitting fell on her head during sex after being “pulled from its mounting” was finalised in the High Court. It is worth noting the claimant did require hospital treatment.
The court was split on the decision, with five judges agreeing and two in dissent. Justices Bell and Gageler would have allowed the compensation claim.
“For an injury to be in the course of employment, the employee must be doing the very thing that the employer encouraged the employee to do, when the injury occurs,” the joint majority wrote.
http://www.theguardian.com/law/2013/oct/30/motel-sex-not-work-related?CMP=soc_568
While not a lawyer, I can see this could have set quite an amazing precedent had the claimant won the case. As I am not a lawyer, I am sure there are many legal technicalities involved in this case I have no idea about, but as one of those legal “reasonable people”, I am reasonably sure I agree with the High Court. Or am I reasonably sure? Hmmmmm. I had to dig a little deeper.
I note the judges did say had the light fitting been poorly mounted and just fell of its own accord, there may well have been a claim against the motel. I agree. One does not expect to have light fittings fall on one’s head in any accommodation, whether it be private or work related travel!
The case certainly seems to have received global media coverage as demonstrated by the US Government news portal, perhaps indicating a little sex on the side is not uncommon. What happens on tour and all that.
I’m sure I am not the only one reading the media coverage who wonders exactly how the light fitting came to be pulled from its mounting. Not all articles mention it was pulled and so of course, the media being the media, I can’t be sure if that is factual or not. However, I do think it is important, especially if we look at the dissenting opinion as reported.
‘‘In the absence of any suggestion that she was engaged at the time of injury in misconduct, those facts were sufficient to conclude that the injury the respondent sustained during that interval, and when at that place, was sustained in the course of her employment,’’ Gageler said.
‘‘The particular activity in which the respondent was engaged at the time she was injured does not enter into the analysis,’’ he added.
It seems had the employee been injured playing cards, for example, she would have been entitled to compensation. If that is indeed the case, I have to ask why sex is somehow different to playing cards in this context (I do know how it is different anatomically, thank you).
I’m taking a different approach altogether. Safety. Most employers strive to provide a safe working environment. I am sure the Commonwealth is no exception. If an employee does something that puts their own safety at risk, is there contributory negligence (or some similar legal phrase)? After all, this light fitting didn’t pull itself from its mounting, assuming the report is correct and it was pulled. Either someone was holding on to it or otherwise “attached” to it. Seems we are not talking missionary position in this case.
While I expect an employer to provide safe accommodation (i.e. I don’t expect a light fitting to fall unprovoked), I don’t think I expect my employer to take into consideration the possible vigor of any extracurricular activities I might undertake when booking accommodation for me. A clean, comfortable bed and hot water are the basic necessities.
Does kind of make me wonder about possible injury claims for the Brothel Sex Inspector.
I’m curious. What do you think? Have you ever injured yourself in such a manner in your young and foolish days?
Related articles
- Woman denied compensation for injury during sex in motel during business trip (standard.co.uk)
- Australian loses compensation case for sex injury (kansascity.com)
- Australian loses compensation case for sex injury (miamiherald.com)
Random Observations of Life 
No in answer to your question. Perhaps you would be interested in reading how 2 people died and ferry was destroyed when two people on the bridge weren’t doing their job while they were having sex. Not only did people die and not only do we taxpayers have to pay fro another ferry but we had to foot the bill for the court costs as well. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/queen-of-the-north-officer-out-on-bail-after-getting-4-years-1.1351530 Search for the news stories and images online and you will see how terrified the passengers who escaped were. Today the perpetrators are out on bail.
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TT, that is a terrible situation. Thank you for sharing as I had not heard about that case.
Considerably worse than the case I discuss and I had to dig through the articles to find there was evidence he had not altered course. Seems extremely lucky more lives weren’t lost.
How sad. Imagine a pilot having sex when flying a plane – could be a similar catastrophy.
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After all, this light fitting didn’t pull itself from its mounting, assuming the report is correct and it was pulled. Either someone was holding on to it or otherwise “attached” to it.
I cannot recall that this happened at any time in my life that I was “holding a light fitting or was otherwise attached to it”. What, were they on drugs or what?
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I must say your Wikipedia example of a light fitting is great. I can just imagine how a person on drugs would hang onto it during sex!
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Sorry, I have another idea now. Wouldn’t the people involved have to pay the hotel compensation for the damage done?
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Very good question! I’ve heard of rock bands having to compensate hotels for trashing rooms.
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I did think it was rather fitting, pun intended. 🙂
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No idea but I did see handcuffs used as a graphic on some of the media sites!
Given our Australian “politicians with their travel expenses to weddings” issues, claiming these private weddings were really work functions, I do wonder what they might claim for. Hip injury from cutting up the dance floor, perhaps? Presumably they don’t have celibate weekends either if they attended these weddings with their spouse! 🙂
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Yes to your title.
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Hopefully you didn’t suffer any injuries as this poor woman did!
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