Coleman v. J.C. Penney Co.

HODGES, Chief Justice.

The only issue before this Court in this workers’ compensation matter is whether the claimant was an employee of the respondent at the time of the accident. We find that the claimant was an independent contractor, and therefore the Workers’ Compensation Court did not have jurisdiction over this matter.

There is little dispute of the facts. J.C. Penney Company (Penney), the respondent, had some electrical work that needed to be done. Mr. Dodson, the maintenance supervisor, could have done the work, but Penney wanted an outside licensed contractor. Dodson had known the…