High-Tech Employee Wins Work Accident Recognition After Football Injury
A high-tech employee injured during a company football match won a legal battle against the National Insurance Institute, which recognized the incident as a work accident.
A weekly football match among high-tech employees ended with a severe knee injury, urgent surgery, and a fierce legal battle against the National Insurance Institute. A development manager at Toga Networks—Huawei’s R&D center in Israel—was injured during an amateur game organized by staff at the Sportek in Hod Hasharon.
When he applied to the National Insurance Institute asking to recognize the incident as a "work accident" and receive injury benefits, he faced an absolute refusal. The institute argued that since the game took place outside official working hours and participation was entirely voluntary, there was no required link between the sports activity and his employment at the company.
The employee refused to accept the decision and appealed to the Tel Aviv Regional Labor Court. The lawsuit stated that the company had an active and direct involvement in organizing the event: the employer initiated and encouraged the matches, distributed updates via corporate email, and financed the pitch rental for an extended period, viewing it as a vital tool for team-building and strengthening bonds between employees from different departments. Furthermore, it was clarified that under the flexible working model customary in the high-tech sector, employees even returned to the office after the match.
In a dramatic ruling, Judge Osnat Robovitch-Barches (by majority vote) accepted the employee's position, ruling that it constitutes a work accident entitling him to injury benefits. The court determined that the company's involvement, financing, and clear interest in connecting departments transform the game into an "activity ancillary to work." Although a dissenting opinion warned against expanding the boundaries of working time, the ruling serves as a clear reminder to employers regarding their legal liability even during company recreational and sporting events.
