In a case currently being considered for publication, Janela v. Roman Asphalt Co., the issue of dual employment arose in the context of a government construction contract. The employer/paving company, Raebeck Construction won a contract for paving at Newark Liberty International Airport, which called for it to exercise direct control over the project and to certify that it did not share staff with any other company. On the date of the accident, an employee was struck in the head by a compressor and killed. His estate was paid dependency benefits by Raebeck. However, the estate also brought suit against another company, Roman, who actually did the paving work. It was revealed that contrary to the contract, Raebeck had no role in the job and essentially leased all workers from Roman. Raebeck did actually pay all of the workers, however. Roman moved for summary judgment on the exclusivity provisions of the Workers Compensation Act. The Appellate Division upheld the dismissal of Roman using a five part fact sensitive test focusing on the control exercised over the employees, to determine whether Roman was also an employer. It found that even though Raebeck violated specific government contract provisions to avoid this precise employment situation, bidding qualifications and contract requirements did not negate the legal rules governing workers' compensation.

Application:

When analyzing a new claim involving dual employment, an immediate and comprehensive investigation of the employment relationship is essential. Obtaining documentation such as contracts, job descriptions, employment handbooks, payroll records, and even incorporation documents is an essential strategy in evaluating the claim. Also, early identification and interviews of the owners, managers and contractors can further assist in determining the degree of control each entity had over the injured worker.