Legal Definitions - work

Work is physical or mental effort put in to achieve a goal, usually for an employer. It can also refer to additional work that is required due to changes in plans or specifications, or work that involves lifting and carrying heavy objects. Work can be classified as heavy, light, medium, sedentary, semi-skilled, skilled, unskilled, or very heavy. Work can also refer to an original expression in a fixed or tangible form that may be entitled to copyright protection. Examples of works include art, literature, music, and software.

• John works at a factory, where he operates heavy machinery and lifts heavy objects.
• Jane works as a writer, where she creates original content for her employer.
• The construction company had to do additional work to meet the performance goals under the contract.
• The artist's work was displayed in a gallery for people to admire.

The examples illustrate the different meanings of the term "work". The first two examples show work as physical or mental effort put in to achieve a goal, while the third example shows work as additional work required due to changes in plans or specifications. The fourth example shows work as an original expression in a fixed or tangible form that may be entitled to copyright protection.