Seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Alexandria
Gentile-Patti was working from home as a telephone customer service
agent for Air Canada. At the time, many Canadians brought their
workplaces home to weather the pandemic. On September 25, 2020, Mme
Gentile-Patti took her lunch break and ventured downstairs. After a
few steps, she lost her footing and fell-sustaining an injury. For
this harm, she claimed workers' compensation.
Air Canada contended that the fall had no connection to her
employment; i.e., she was at home and she was not working
when she fell. Ultimately, the Québec Administrative Labour
Tribunal ("Tribunal Administratif Du Travail") ruled that
Mme Gentile-Patti was indeed entitled to compensation under the
provincial framework for employment injuries. To be clear, the
injury at home was a workplace accident for compensation purposes.
It occurred only moments after she disconnected from work to take a
break and eat.
