Stevens County v. Department of Labor & Industries

**Stevens County v. Department of Labor & Industries - What It Means for Workers** This case involved a jail inmate who was injured while working as a "trusty" - essentially volunteering for work duties at the jail. When the inmate sought medical benefits for his work-related injury, the Department of Labor & Industries denied his claim, saying jail inmates couldn't qualify as volunteers under workers' compensation law. Stevens County challenged this denial in court. The court sided with the county and overturned the department's decision. The judges ruled that jail inmates can indeed qualify as volunteers if they meet three key requirements: they choose to do the work freely, they don't get paid for it, and they're properly registered as volunteers. This ruling matters because it expands who can be considered a "volunteer" under state law. While this specific case involved a jail inmate, the principle could potentially apply to other situations where people do unpaid work in institutional settings. For workers, this shows that volunteer status - and the legal protections that come with it - can extend beyond traditional volunteer roles to include people in unusual circumstances, as long as they meet the basic requirements of voluntary, unpaid service.