Workers' Compensation Coverage

• Workers in all employments conducted for profit, including part-time employees, family members and volunteers;
• Employees of counties and municipalities engaged in work defined by the law as “hazardous”;
• Public school teachers, excluding those employed by New York City, and public school aides, including New York City;
• Employees of the State of New York, including some volunteer workers;
• Domestic workers employed 40 or more hours per week by the same employer (including full-time sitters or companions and live-in maids);
• Farm workers whose employer paid $1,200 or more for farm labor in the preceding calendar year;
• Any other worker determined by the Workers’ Compensation Board to be an employee;
• All corporate officers if the corporation has more than two officers;
• Officers of one- or two-person corporations if there are other individuals in employment; these officers may choose to exclude themselves from coverage. 

Who is not covered by the WC Law

• Clergy and members of religious orders;
• People engaged in a teaching or non-manual capacity for a religious, charitable or educational institution;
• People employed in certain maritime trades, interstate railroad employees, federal government employees and others covered under federal workers’ compensation laws;
• New York City police officers, firefighters and sanitation workers (Uniformed police officers and firefighters in other municipalities may also be excluded);
• Certain real estate salespersons who sign a contract with a broker stating that they are independent contractors;
• Media sales representatives;
• Sole proprietors, partners, and one- or two-person corporate officers with no employees (although coverage may be obtained voluntarily);
• Certain employees of foreign governments;
• People, including minors, doing yard work or casual chores in and about a one-family, owner-occupied residence. (Casual means occasionally, without regularity, without foresight, plan or method.) Coverage is required if the minor handles power-driven machinery, including a power lawnmower.

If you have questions regarding coverage contact the Workers' Compensation Board.