Special Employee or Not? Court Decides

A New Jersey appellate court recently overturned a legal malpractice ruling by clarifying when police officers on "extra duty" assignments become "special employees" under workers' compensation law. The October 2025 decision in Dutcher v. Stathis provides important guidance for determining employment status.

Insurance Snafu Leaves Trucking Company on the Hook

A New Jersey appellate court held that an insurance company failed to terminate coverage properly, and the injured worker was classified as a special employee. 

Who Decides if an Employee is a Borrowed-Employee

The adjudication of workers’ compensation claims involves one final arbitrator of fact and law, a compensation judge. In a civil action, a judge decides the applicable law, and the jury decides the factual issues. The NJ Supreme Court recently reiterated the jury’s role in the process when it reviewed a matter determining the status of a borrowed employee.

Dual Employment Status Bars Double Recovery

An employee may have dual employers but ultimately can only receive a single recovery from only one employer for work-related injuries. The “exclusivity doctrine,” permitting a complete recovery of damages against an employer, limits an injured worker’s benefit recovery to the compensation system, barring an intentional tort.

Leased Employment Has Its Consequences

An employee leased to another company [ER], ie. From a placement agency [PA], does not have the rights and benefits available to a regular employee. A recent case illustrates how the leased employee is prohibited from seeking an award for damages because of an accident at work.

Forklift Operator Not A “Special Employee”

 Special equipment operators often appear to work for two employers simultaneously. The facade of dual employment may not meet the criteria for being a shared employee or “special employee.”

Exclusivity Rule: Police Officer Hired to Direct Traffic Was a Special Employee-Unpublished Opinion

A municipal police officer who was hired by a contractor to direct traffic at a construction site was determined to be a “special employee” and barred from suing a co-worker of the construction company. The NJ Appellate Court has held, in an unpublished opinion*, the  “Exclusivity Rule” barred the institution of a civil action against a co-worker.