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Though it would seem to be antagonistic to the principle that an injury must arise out of the employment to be compensable, some injuries that occur post-employment are still compensable. Depending on the situation, some activities occurring post-employment are considered by the courts to be normal work activities. For example, injuries incurred while picking up a paycheck, exiting the work premises, and collecting belongings from the employer's premises have all been held to be compensable provided that such activities are undertaken within a reasonable time after the employment relationship has ended.

To qualify for workers' compensation benefits, an individual must be an "employee." An important consideration in the determination of "employee" status is whether or not the individual receives payment for his labor. Workers' compensation is meant to provide the injured employee with a portion of his lost wages. If there is no payment for the worker's labor, he is not an employee for hire and has no "lost wages" that workers' compensation benefits can help replace.

Workers' compensation is an employer-provided benefit that exists to aid an employee or his dependents in the event that the employee is injured or killed on the job. Workers' compensation is governed by each state's laws, but the general consensus is that eligibility for such benefits turns on whether the employee suffered an accidental injury that arose out of and in the course of his employment or an occupational disease.

An individual serving in the military pays Social Security taxes just as civilian employees do. For 2004, when a person earns $ 3,600 they have earned one year of work credit toward qualification for social security benefits. The benefit amount that a person receives is tied to the amount of his earnings, which are averaged over his working lifetime.

To aid disputing parties in resolving their workers' compensation controversy, some states utilize an ombudsman program. An ombudsman focuses on helping the injured worker navigate the procedural complexities of the workers' compensation system. By doing so, the ombudsman not only serves to aid the worker in recognizing his rights and gaining the benefits due to him, but also provides the worker with an enhanced knowledge of workers' compensation in relation to his injury to make thoughtful and considered choices regarding his claim. The ombudsman is not limited to only helping injured workers. He may also provide a supportive role to the employer.