Employee-Status Proven and Workers’ Compensation Exclusivity Provision Applied; Employee’s Jumping from Stalled Elevator Was Superseding Cause of Accident

The First Department determined the respondent, Plaza Residences, could assert the Workers’ Compensation defense even though petitioner believed he was working for a nonparty (Wavecrest Management, Inc) which directed and controlled his work:

The Workers’ Compensation exclusivity provision applies to those employers, and their agents, that exercise supervision and control over an employee …. Here, the evidence establishes that an actual employment relationship exited between plaintiff and Plaza Residences. Such evidence includes Plaza Residences’ payroll records, state withholding tax and unemployment returns, plaintiff’s own W-2 form, and copies of cancelled paychecks. Each of these documents identified Plaza Residences as plaintiff’s employer, and the fact that Plaza Residences relinquished all authority to nonparty Wavecrest Management, Inc., which directed and controlled plaintiff’s work, did not preclude Plaza Residences from asserting the Workers’ Compensation defense.

The First Department also determined petitioner’s jumping from a stalled elevator was “an unforeseeable, superseding cause of his accident” and dismissal of his complaint was therefore warranted. Clifford v Plaza Hous Dev Fund Co, Inc, 2013 NY Slip Op 02695, 9871, 305519/08, 1st Dept, 4-23-13