Claim of Vaccaro v. Sperry Rand Corp.
A 54-year-old research department head died after jogging during his lunch hour on his employer's premises. The employer permitted this activity and provided an athletic facility, the Sperry Rand Athletic Club, to its employees, supporting its functions through commissions and allowing its name to be used. The Workers’ Compensation Board found that the decedent's death was causally related to and arose out of strenuous exertion during the course of his employment, a finding supported by medical testimony. The appellate court affirmed the Board's decision, citing the intimate relationship between the employer and the athletic club and the employer's ability to terminate such activities at will.