Understanding Differences Between Workers Comp Requirements & Regulations
The regulations surrounding workers compensation insurance are handled on a statewide basis. That means the specific legislation in place for a state such as Florida won’t necessarily match the legislation in place in its neighboring state of Georgia, or anywhere else for that matter. It’s important to always keep this in mind while gaining some insight on how states may choose to enact their workers comp policies.
One of the major differences in workers comp insurance from one state to another is the minimum employee requirement. How many employees does a business need to have before they are required to carry workers comp for everyone?
In the state of Louisiana, for instance, all employers have to carry workers comp insurance. Period. Therefore the minimum is just that first employee, whether full or part-time. In Georgia, that required minimum becomes three. In Alabama, the minimum is five. These are just a few examples for comparison’s sake.
Back to Florida, they have minimums in place that are tied to prevalent statewide industry. Construction industry businesses must carry it regardless of employee number. In the state’s prominent agricultural industry, the minimum is six or more regular employees, or 12 or more seasonal employees who are employed for over 30 days. Other industries then follow a four employee minimum.
There are other specifics to look into as well—who handles the workers compensation for subcontractors? Are business owners and partners considered employees in terms of requirements and meeting minimum counts? What about part-time employees, interns, or volunteers? Do businesses in certain industries have to pay more than others, and if so, how much?
ACI is here to help you with workers compensation insurance that’s a fit for your specific needs, regardless of your industry, business type or size, and location. Give us a call at 407.272.1976 and we’ll get you started with a free quote today.