Some employers may not operate year-round or they may need more employees during busier times of the year, like the holiday season. When it comes to hiring seasonal employees, it can oftentimes be difficult for employers to understand the details of benefit plans and workers’ compensation coverage for their new, temporary hires.
Workers Compensation 101
Workers’ compensation insurance provides medical and wage benefits to people who are injured at work. The exact coverage depends on the mandates in each state. Workers’ compensation insurance is purchased by businesses to help keep their employees safe and protect them in case of an injury or illness at work. The cost of coverage is dependent on the type of work done by the employees, claims history, and payroll.
No matter the amount of time an employee has been working, the possibility for injury can continually exist for workers whose jobs are considered high-risk. As long as the employee incurs their injury doing job-related tasks, they’re entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In Florida, any business with four or more employees is required to obtain workers’ compensation insurance.
Who Are Seasonal Employees?
Many companies may hire seasonal employees to help scale the business’ success during the busiest times of the year. Seasonal employees can help companies run smoother and more efficiently, while taking advantage of lower costs and a flexible workforce. Employees are considered seasonal if the expected duration of their employment is six months or less.
Coverage for workers’ compensation benefits begins the day an employee is hired, so it is important that your business reviews state requirements for workers compensation to ensure your current policy is adjusted for seasonal employees. By doing so, you ensure you are complying with your state’s laws, and avoiding any penalties for noncompliance that may be intrusive to your business’ success.
Risks of Seasonal Employees
Understanding state laws around seasonal employees can help accurately assess and minimize challenges that may come with hiring temporary workers. It is important to stay attentive when adding seasonal employees to your team, and your business should follow the same procedures you use when filling a permanent position to curtail any risks of noncompliance.
Temporary employees may be more of a risk for any business because their training isn’t as thorough as that of a permanent employee. Some companies might be inclined to rush through employee training for seasonal workers, but this can lead to negative consequences and added challenges such as the increased exposure to potential injury. It is important that your business take time to implement best practices to reduce risk when hiring seasonal employees (such as performing background checks or asking for referrals) while also taking your time to assess current workers’ compensation laws and requirements in your state.
Thus, having a comprehensive workers’ compensation insurance policy in place can help keep your employees safe, while also protecting your company from any lawsuits associated with an on-site or job-related injury.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance with Biscayne
With employee benefits and coverage, it’s vital for companies to get a full understanding of what they’re offering in order to protect their workers in the unfortunate event that an accident occurs.
At Biscayne Risk & Insurance Group, we take the time to assess your company’s needs and make sure you’re covered. For workers’ compensation benefits for your full-time and seasonal employees, we can help you get on the right track. Contact us today to get started. For more information on workers’ compensation, visit our website.