Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law
Is workers’ compensation insurance required for your Pennsylvania business? Yes. If you have at least one employee on your payroll, you’re required to carry a workers’ compensation policy. The details of the employment don’t matter, either. Your employee could be full-time, part-time, or seasonal, and the mandate would still apply. And if you don’t purchase the legally required coverage? You could face thousands of dollars in penalties and might even face major legal action from the State of Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
In short? Every small business with at least one employee needs workers’ compensation insurance. Getting covered provides valuable protection for your team and is just the right thing to do. See what you might pay for Huckleberry workers’ compensation here, from Harrisburg to Philadelphia. (It’s completely online and takes 60 seconds.)
How much do Pennsylvanians pay for workers’ compensation?
Your Pennsylvania workers’ compensation rate depends on quite a few factors, such as the kind of business you run, the strength of your safety record, and where you’re located. That said, the number one factor that insurance companies will use to determine your premium is the size of your payroll. The bigger your payroll, the more employees you have. And the more employees you have, the bigger the risk that one will get injured at work and need to file a workers’ compensation claim.
The big question, of course, is what you will pay for workers’ compensation. The average premium cost that Pennsylvania Huckleberry customers pay is $87 per month. But rates in Pennsylvania have been as low as $23 per month—under a dollar a day. Your rate depends completely on your unique situation, though, so the only way to find out what you might pay is to get a 60-second workers’ compensation estimate here.
Workers’ compensation benefits, coverage, and exemptions
Broadly speaking, workers’ compensation benefits cover medical bills and wages lost because of a work-related injury (or work-related impairment or illness). Typically, claimants receive two-thirds of their average weekly wage while they recover or undergo medical treatment.
In Pennsylvania, workers’ compensation may also pay out for a pre-existing condition that’s worsened by the job (think carpal tunnel syndrome) or an occupational disease that can be traced back to a workplace environmental toxin. There’s technically no limit to a workers’ compensation policy, either. A serious workplace injury resulting in a permanent injury or total disability might result in a lifelong financial payout in the form of total or partial disability benefits or even death benefits to dependents.
Workers’ compensation covers a lot of situations, but it doesn’t cover everything. For example, it may not cover accidents that happen on your employees’ commutes or injuries that occur because your employees were under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. (Moral of the story: Keep an eye out for signs of problem behavior.)
Is anyone exempt from your Pennsylvania workers’ compensation policy? Maybe. You’re not required to purchase workers’ compensation for yourself if you are a sole proprietor or an LLC. Also, if your business happens to be organized as a corporation, you can fill out a series of forms to exclude your executive officers. But, in general, you’ll purchase a policy that covers all of your employees.
(And that’s a good thing! Workers’ compensation is a necessary protection for everyone.)
Top industries we serve in Pennsylvania:
4 reasons why business owners in Pennsylvania love Huckleberry
- It’s fast. 95% of our customers get the workers’ compensation coverage they need in 5 minutes.
- No paperwork. You’ll do everything through our easy online portal.
- It’s simple. Call us for a free consultation; we’ll explain everything in simple terms.
- You’ll probably pay less. (Maybe a lot less than you would with most insurance carriers.)
FAQ: PA workers’ compensation
That depends on your answer to one simple question: Do you ever hire anyone? If the answer is yes, you need workers’ compensation. In Pennsylvania, it’s legally required for every business with at least one employee (even if that employee is seasonal or only part-time).
If you go without workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania, you should know that you’re taking a serious financial and legal risk. Operating your business without workers’ compensation is a criminal offense in Pennsylvania, and—if you’re caught—you’ll face the prospect of lawsuits and large financial penalties (each day that you go without coverage is considered a separate offense!). Also, when you go without workers’ compensation coverage, you essentially agree to be responsible for the cost of your employees’ medical care and wage loss benefits. That means you’ll pay out-of-pocket for medical expenses, physical therapy costs, and even ongoing financial support if your employee cannot return to work.
All of these consequences are very expensive—and any one of them could tank your business.
Ultimately, not having coverage for a workers’ compensation claim isn’t worth the risk to your business or team. Get workers’ compensation now in about 5 minutes. Just enter some details about your business and your contact information. We’ll take it from there in no time.
Absolutely. Part-time workers can become injured workers, too. That’s per the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act and the state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
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