If your only workers in Washington, D.C. are part-time or seasonal, you still need workers compensation. D.C. counts part-time, seasonal, and temporary staff as employees, with no minimum hours and no minimum headcount, so a single part-time hire makes coverage mandatory. The one narrow exception is a casual household worker below a set number of hours, which almost never applies to an ordinary business.
Who this is for: D.C. owners whose team is entirely part-time, seasonal, on-call, or temporary, from a shop with weekend help to a business that staffs up for the holidays.
The short version
- Part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers all count as employees in D.C.
- There is no minimum hours and no minimum headcount; one part-time hire triggers coverage.
- You cannot avoid the requirement by keeping everyone under a certain number of hours.
- The only hours-based exception is a casual domestic worker in a private home below 240 hours a quarter.
- A seasonal policy can be sized to your real payroll so you are not overcharged in the off months.
Why part-time still counts
D.C. defines an employee by the working relationship, not the schedule. Anyone in the service of another under a contract of hire is an employee, whether they work forty hours or four, so a part-timer, a seasonal worker, and a temp all count. There is no threshold you can duck under by trimming hours or splitting shifts. The practical upshot is simple: if you have even one part-time person on payroll, you need a policy in force before they start.
| Your staffing | Need coverage? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| One part-time employee | Yes | No minimum hours; covered from day one |
| Seasonal crew a few months a year | Yes | Covered while employed; policy can be sized to the season |
| On-call or temp staff | Yes | Still employees under a contract of hire |
| Casual household helper under 240 hours a quarter | Usually no | Private-home domestic work only; a business does not qualify |
The one hours-based exception
The only place hours change the answer is a private household. A homeowner who hires a domestic worker, such as a nanny or housekeeper, does not owe coverage until that worker reaches 240 hours or more in a single calendar quarter. That is a household rule, not a business rule, so a shop, restaurant, or office cannot use it to keep part-timers off coverage. If you run an ordinary business, treat every part-time and seasonal worker as covered from the first hour.
Sizing a policy to a part-time payroll
Part-time and seasonal owners often worry that a policy priced for a full-time crew will crush them. It should not. Workers comp is priced largely on actual pay, so a small or seasonal payroll produces a smaller premium, and many policies reconcile to your real wages at the end of the term. If you staff up only for a few months, we can build the coverage around that pattern so you are not paying full-year pricing for part-year help.
A Brookland example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Brookland gift shop runs with the owner and two part-time clerks who each work about fifteen hours a week. The owner assumes part-timers do not count, but in D.C. they do, so the shop needs a policy the moment the first clerk starts. Coverage is in place before opening, and when a clerk slips on a wet floor and sprains an ankle, comp pays the medical bills. Because the policy is priced on the small part-time payroll, the cost stays low. See our workers comp for retail stores page.
Real questions District of Columbia owners ask
Do I need workers comp if all my staff are part-time in D.C.?
Yes. D.C. counts part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers as employees with no minimum hours and no minimum headcount. A single part-time hire makes coverage mandatory.
Is there an hours minimum before a worker counts?
No, not for an ordinary business. D.C. has no minimum hours for regular employees, so a part-timer counts from the first hour. The only hours rule is for casual domestic work in a private home.
Do seasonal workers need coverage in D.C.?
Yes. Seasonal and temporary workers are employees while they work for you, so they must be covered. You can size the policy to the season so you are not overpaying in the off months.
Can I keep people under a certain number of hours to avoid it?
No. There is no hours threshold you can stay under for a business. Trimming hours or splitting shifts does not change the requirement; a part-time worker is still an employee.
What is the 240-hour domestic rule?
It is a household exception. A private home that hires a domestic worker only owes coverage once that worker reaches 240 hours or more in a calendar quarter. It does not apply to a business.
Will a part-time payroll make my premium expensive?
Usually not. Workers comp is priced largely on actual pay, so a small or seasonal payroll means a smaller premium, and many policies reconcile to your real wages at the end of the term.
Why District of Columbia owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Washington, D.C. you buy workers' comp on the open, competitive private market from any insurer licensed in the District, because there is no government fund, and if no carrier will take you the NCCI-run assigned risk plan is the guaranteed backstop, so we can shop your rate freely and still have a fallback 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 District of Columbia guides
Every District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia (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
- DC retail workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. District of Columbia rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the D.C. Office of Workers' Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.