In Colorado, part-time and seasonal workers count from the very first hire, so if you have even one part-timer you need workers compensation. There is no minimum weekly hours test and no waiting period before coverage attaches, because Colorado presumes anyone you pay for work is an employee.
Who this is for: Colorado owners who staff with part-timers or seasonal help, such as shops, cafes, and businesses with a busy season.
The short version
- Part-timers count. Colorado counts a part-time worker the same as a full-time one, from the first hire.
- Seasonal help counts too. A worker you bring on for a busy season still counts while they are employed.
- No hours minimum, no waiting period. A part-timer is covered from their first day; there is no threshold number of hours.
- One employee is the line. Once you have a single worker, coverage is required (C.R.S. 8-44-101).
- You cannot dodge it by trimming hours. Cutting people to part-time does not remove the duty.
How the rule works with part-time and seasonal staff
Colorado's rule is about whether a worker is an employee, not how many hours they log. Because the state presumes a paid worker is an employee, even a single part-timer can trigger the mandate, and a seasonal pattern you repeat each year still counts while those workers are on.
| Staffing pattern | Subject to the mandate? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One regular part-timer, no full-timers | Yes | A single employee triggers the duty |
| A weekend-only employee | Yes | No hours minimum and no waiting period |
| Seasonal workers you rehire every peak season | Yes | Employees while they are working the season |
| Casual yard or maintenance help paid under 2,000 dollars a year | No | A narrow casual carve-out under the dollar cap |
| No employees, owner works alone | No | No employee yet |
Seasonal work and the casual carve-out
Seasonal businesses sometimes assume the off-season resets everything. While your seasonal crew is working, they are employees and your policy has to be in place, covering them from day one. The only real relief for very small, occasional help is the narrow casual carve-out: casual maintenance, repair, or yard work about your property where you pay under 2,000 dollars in a calendar year is excepted, as is casual farm or ranch labor under the same cap. Regular part-time staff who run your shop or cafe are not casual and are not covered by that exception. The safest approach is to line coverage up before the season starts, since there is no grace period.
Why part-time-only shops still need it
Because a policy is required at the first employee regardless of hours, a shop that runs on part-timers has the same duty as one with full-time staff. Skipping coverage because everyone is part-time is a common and costly mistake. An uninsured employer with a hurt part-timer loses key legal defenses and owes daily fines, so even a small part-time crew is worth insuring properly.
An Aurora example
Illustrative, not a quote. An Aurora ice-cream shop runs with three part-time scoopers in summer and closes in winter. During summer the shop has employees, so Colorado requires a policy for that season, effective from each worker's first day. The owner cannot avoid it by pointing to the quiet winter, because the summer staff are regular employees while they are on. Lining up coverage before Memorial Day means every scooper is protected on day one. See our workers comp for retail and shops page.
Real questions Colorado owners ask
Do part-time employees need workers comp in Colorado?
Yes. A single part-timer triggers the requirement, because Colorado counts part-time workers from the first hire with no hours minimum. You need a policy even if no one is full time.
Do seasonal workers count in Colorado?
Yes. While a seasonal worker is employed, they count the same as any employee, so a seasonal crew makes coverage required during that season. There is no waiting period before they are covered.
Can I avoid workers comp by keeping everyone part-time?
No. Part-time workers count the same as full-timers from the first hire, so cutting hours does not remove the duty. Even one part-timer makes coverage mandatory.
Is there a minimum number of hours before a worker counts?
No. Colorado has no minimum weekly hours test and no waiting period. A part-timer counts from their first day of work.
I have one part-time employee. Do I need a policy?
Yes. Colorado's duty attaches at the first employee, so a single part-timer is enough to require coverage, and that worker is covered from day one.
What is the casual work exception?
Casual maintenance or yard work about your property paid under 2,000 dollars in a calendar year, and casual farm labor under the same cap, are excepted. Regular part-time staff who run your business are not casual.
When does a seasonal hire become covered?
From day one, once the business has an employee. There is no grace period, so line up coverage before the season starts rather than after the first shift.
Why Colorado owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Colorado you buy workers' comp on the open market, where private insurers compete with the state-chartered fund, Pinnacol Assurance, which by law cannot turn away a Colorado employer, so we can shop your rate across carriers and still have Pinnacol as a guaranteed backstop for hard-to-place work.
- We catch pricing mistakes. Your price depends heavily on the category your work falls into for pricing (the class code). Put people in the wrong category and you overpay for years. We review your payroll and classifications before you buy.
- Proof of coverage, fast. Need a certificate (proof of coverage) for a general contractor or a landlord before Monday? We turn those around the same business day for most carriers.
- We help lower the score that drives your price. Insurers give you a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your cost (the experience modification rate). We review it each year, flag errors, and connect you with return-to-work and safety resources that bring it down.
- Real people when a claim happens. When someone gets hurt, we stay involved through the life of the claim, not just at renewal.
Related Colorado guides
Every Colorado business is set up a little differently. These companion guides answer the same question for other situations, plus the national explainers behind the terms used here.
- Business insurance in Colorado (start here)
- Workers comp: the owner's overview
- I own an LLC: do I need workers comp?
- I'm a sole proprietor: do I need workers comp?
- I own a corporation (C-corp or S-corp): do I need it?
- We're a partnership: do we need workers comp?
- We're a nonprofit: do we need workers comp?
- My workers are 1099: do I still need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- Remote or out-of-state staff: do I need coverage?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How much does workers comp cost?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- Hiring your first employee: what changes
- What workers comp does not cover
- Colorado retail store workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Colorado rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.