AOE COE – Tampa Bay Bucs
The AOE COE is the Workers Comp acronym for Arising Out of Employment or in the Course of Employment.
Lawrence Tynes was brought in by the Tampa Bay Bucs as a replacement for Connor Barth this NFL season. Mr. Tynes is not happy as the Tampa Bay Bucs have placed him on NIR, not IR.
IR is injured reserve. Who would have thought that IR can also mean the team was also admitting that the injury happened due to playing football? NIR is non-injured reserve or the injury sustained by the player is not related to football. This seems to be a modified Workers Comp decision.
This is akin to the “general public exposure” in a Workers Comp defense. This used to and still does make claimants as mad as hornets when this type of denial is/was explained to them.
Mr. Tynes is a tad upset. One of the reasons is that guard Carl Nicks also has the same infection as Tynes. Tynes’s main question is where else would he get it? If you follow the link on MRSA, 30% of the general population has the staph germ in their nostrils.
According to the ESPN article on his MRSA infection, Tampa Bay is basically saying that his current infection is not related to work. Regardless, he is being paid an $840,000 NFL minimum.
This could be easily compared to total temporary benefits in Workers Comp (TTD). His big beef is that he will not be accruing time played in his NFL retirement benefits.
Tynes has filed a grievance with the NFL. One has to wonder if he could also file a WC claim. He may be more likely to win in the Florida workers comp courts.
On a side note, if you are ever in the Tampa Bay area during a Bucs game, it is worth the price of admission. It is more of an event than a regular NFL game.
What do you think? AOE COE – arising out of employment?
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