Woman Hurt During Sex Wins Long Court Battle

At least in Australia, sex on the job is legally part of the job: A woman injured while fooling around on a business trip has won health compensation in federal court, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The government worker, who remains unnamed, was on a work trip south of Sydney when she met with a male friend in a motel booked by her employer. They were having sex when a light fixture fell on her face and injured her nose and mouth. She said depression and anxiety left her unable to work.

Her health insurer, Comcare, denied her compensation because she wasn't actually on the job when the injury occurred. That started a 5-year legal battle in which she lost her first appeal but won the next two—the most recent a federal court ruling handed down last week. Three judges said she deserves compensation because she was hurt during "lawful sexual activity": "If the applicant had been injured while playing a game of cards in her motel room she would be entitled to compensation," they said. Comcare said it is lookng over the judgment and may appeal to a higher court. (More compensation stories.)