Opening the Door: Recognizing the Many Hats of Jockeys for Workers' Compensation Coverage

摘要

In Ochoa, the Washington Supreme Court reinforced the importance of the actual function of an employee at the time of injury in determining his or her eligibility for coverage. Although a statutory right, it is not one that the Department of Labor and Industries can interpret in a vacuum - the Court requires the Department to take into account industry practices and expectations. To this end, licensed jockeys are offered a small bite of the rights offered generally if they act as an exercise rider, and this possibility of coverage opens far-reaching implications that may help jockeys to eventually attain workers' compensation coverage.