Domestic Workers

Classifying Domestic Workers

According to New York State Workers' Compensation law, domestic workers, or private household workers, employed 40 or more hours per week by the same employer (including live-in help), are required to be covered by a New York State workers' compensation insurance policy.

Part-Time Domestic Workers

While coverage is not required for domestic workers working less than 40 hours per week, we strongly encourage employers to obtain a voluntary workers' compensation insurance policy to protect both the employer and the employee.

Classifications for Domestic Workers

The two primary classifications of domestic workers are inside and outside. Such workers are further categorized by the number of hours they work per week.

Inside domestic workers are employees exclusively engaged in household or domestic work primarily performed inside the house. Examples include: cook, housekeeper, home health aide, babysitter.

  • Code 0913 Inside domestic who works more than 20 hours per week.
  • Code 0908 Inside domestic who works 20 hours or less per week.

Outside domestic workers are employees exclusively employed in household or domestic work primarily performed outside the house. Examples include: private driver, gardener

  • Code 0912 Outside domestic who works more than 20 hours per week.
  • Code 0909 Outside domestic who works 20 hours or less per week.

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