Paris homeworker injured by her ironing board claims work accident

A midwife’s claims that she should be compensated for a 'work accident' after she broke her toes when her ironing board fell on her during a break on a work from home day have been dismissed.

The midwife, who was employed by the city of Paris, was working from home as she was taking an online training course.

She brought the case to court, claiming that the incident should be recognised as a ‘workplace accident’ as it took place technically during working hours. The ironing board fell on her as she opened a cupboard during a break.

She was temporarily unable to work after the accident which happened in March 2021, and claimed she should be paid fully during her time away.

‘Event unrelated to service’

The Paris mairie refused to pay, and, after more than three years of judicial wrangling, the Paris administrative court dismissed the case on February 3.

The court based its decision on the law of July 13, 1983 on the rights and obligations of civil servants.

It found that although “the accident occurred during the applicant's working hours, the circumstances of the accident cannot be regarded as constituting a normal extension of, or pertaining to, the performance of her duties”.

The accident must therefore be "regarded as an event unrelated to service", meaning that the court did not consider ironing and therefore an ironing board to be related to the woman’s normal working activities.

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