How many of you have W/C and CLI,if not what are you doing DIFFERENT and still complying with your state laws.
In the state of Wisconsin it is mandatory and anyone I might bring into the state to work on a plaster project would also have to show they are covered with both W/C and Contractor's Liability Insurance.
Even if you are the sole person in your business you are still required to have both.
Please let me know your thought's on this.
Ken.

Hi Ken, The contractors liability is a must here...but if one is the sole proprietor and sole artisan (no employees) then they don't have to have the W.Comp.

Greg

Workers Comp. is high everywhere. In FL the law changed so only officers of a corp. could be exempt from workers comp if contracting for construction. Everyone was a sub-contractor and exempting there so called sub-contractors who they paid by the hour.

In order to be classified as a sub-contractor and take the workers comp. exemption you had to meet all ten quilifacations. Including the ability to show a profit or loss on a job. Anyone working by the hour or even time and material did not meet this. Another was you had to supply materials to do the work. Bottom line was people lied and claimed the exemption even though they were employee's.

So now everyone is a corperation working by the hour. It is very difficult to even get comp insurance with less than 5 employee's. You can go to the state pool which is for those who no one else will insure and pay $50+ dollars for every hundred dollars in wages. I was able to find a staff leasing agent to do my payroll with one employee in order to have a comp policy in place. But that comes with a price too, but they do the 941 W2 etc.

Keep up the input as this is great seeing just how everyone handles the W/C question in their area.
Ken.

I think that must make it very difficult for a newcomer interested in establishing his or her own buisness to get started in Vermont all I need is liability insurance.

Hey Dana.. welcome.

For all, Dana was in my class and I am sure he has already booked his first job since the class....

Dana, go to www.sali.org They wil give you liability insurance for $300 a year instead of the usual 1200 or more.

For workers comp, each state has it's statutes. For massachusetts for example, (you do tons of work here, don't you), the regulation is if you work for a GC, he has to cover you with his unless you can show a certificate it is a MUST.. EVEN if you are self employed, sub contractor, it don't matter, he pays your 10%.

the minimum policy is 5000 a year and that assumes you make around 48000 a year....

For me, if I am going to pay 5000 but I just landed a 25000 job cuz of it, I will go for it. Why? interior designers will shake you down literally for almost as much or at the very least, they will make at least that much on retail for the work and then get you to offer rock bottom just to have the opportunity for them to make money on you. it is a dog eat dog world in this business sometimes....

Not sure what vermont does but as long as you say you are in the painting busines,s interiors only and seldom use scaffolding and only use 8 ft ladders at most on a regular basis, you are fine...

Carmine

I carry liability, but because I am a one-woman show, I do not have to carry workman's comp. My helper works with me part time as an independant contractor.

The thing is if you start doing work as a sub contractor for a general contractor on large projects thet want you to carry workers comp. Some in the past have hired sub-contractors with the WC exemption, but they do not have to. The large project that I basically have a contract on will not give me a signed contract until I show proof of WC insurance. It is a straight paint job which is 90% of my income, but I always look for the oppratunity for speciality work, faux or ventian finishes on these large residential projects.

Thx my message is a touch late but in Ma. I don't carry workmens comp on myself.

same here Schmarky. the GCs in MAssachusetts want WC. THere is no longer any excemption.... If they don' show it, your income, even if you are a sub and independent, becomes part of the numbers used for their premiums.

So, you hav eto usually give back 10% to the GC on a job if they are willing to carry you on theirs.