If your only workers are part-time or seasonal, you still need workers compensation in Indiana. The state sets no minimum hours and no part-time or seasonal exception, so a single part-time employee triggers the same duty to insure as a full-time one. Coverage turns on whether someone is your employee, not on how many hours they work.
Who this is for: Indiana owners whose staff is entirely or mostly part-time or seasonal, including retail shops, cafes, tourist-season businesses, and anyone leaning on a few hourly helpers.
The short version
- Indiana has no part-time or seasonal exception, so part-time employees count from day one.
- There is no minimum number of hours or weeks that keeps a worker off the requirement.
- One part-time employee makes a policy mandatory, the same as one full-time employee.
- Seasonal and temporary employees count while they are working for you.
- Part-time pay still gets counted in the premium, but a smaller payroll usually means a smaller premium.
Why hours do not create an exemption
Indiana measures the duty to insure by the employment relationship, not the schedule. There is no rule that a worker under a certain number of hours a week, or on the payroll for only part of the year, falls outside coverage. That means a weekend cashier, a summer-only crew, and a holiday-season hire all count as employees who must be covered. The only real question is the one that applies to everyone: is this person an employee, or a genuine independent contractor under the right-to-control test. If they are an employee, part-time or not, they must be covered.
| Your staff | Comp required? |
|---|---|
| One part-time employee | Yes, from day one |
| Seasonal or holiday-only workers | Yes, while they work for you |
| A few weekend hourly helpers | Yes, they are employees |
| Only true independent contractors | Not on them, if they really are independent |
| Just the owner, no employees | No, unless you opt yourself in |
What part-time staff means for your premium
The good news is that a smaller payroll usually means a smaller premium. Workers comp is priced largely on payroll and the kind of work, so part-time and seasonal wages generally cost less to cover than a full-time crew doing the same work. Do not be tempted to leave part-timers off to shave the bill, because an uninsured injury costs far more than the premium and can expose you to penalties. If your headcount swings with the season, tell us, and we can set the policy up so your premium tracks your actual payroll rather than a guess.
A Lafayette example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Lafayette retail shop is run by the owner with three part-time cashiers who each work about fifteen hours a week. Because those cashiers are employees, Indiana requires a workers comp policy covering all three from day one, even though none of them is full time. The owner, a sole proprietor, is off the policy by default but can opt in. Since the payroll is modest, the premium is modest too, and the shop can show a certificate to its landlord. See our workers comp for retail stores page.
Real questions Indiana owners ask
Do I need workers comp if all my staff are part-time in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana has no part-time exception, so a part-time employee counts the same as a full-time one. A single part-time worker makes coverage mandatory from their first day.
Is there a minimum number of hours before coverage kicks in?
No. Indiana sets no minimum hours and no minimum weeks. If someone is your employee, they must be covered regardless of how few hours they work.
What about seasonal or holiday workers?
They count too. Seasonal and temporary employees must be covered while they work for you, so a summer crew or a holiday-season hire triggers the same requirement as year-round staff.
Does one part-time employee really trigger the whole requirement?
Yes. There is no headcount minimum in Indiana, so a single part-time employee makes a policy mandatory, just as one full-time employee would.
Will part-time staff cost me a lot to cover?
Usually less than full-time staff. Premium is based largely on payroll and the kind of work, so part-time and seasonal wages generally cost less to cover. We can set the policy to track your actual payroll.
Can I avoid coverage by calling part-timers contractors?
No, and it is risky. Indiana looks at who controls the work, not the title. A part-timer you schedule and direct is an employee, and misclassifying them leaves you exposed if they are hurt.
I only have part-time help and I am the owner. Am I covered?
Your part-time employees must be covered. You, as a sole-proprietor owner, are off the policy by default and can opt in to cover your own injuries if you want that protection.
Why Indiana owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Indiana you buy workers comp on the open, competitive market from any private insurer licensed in the state, because there is no state fund, and if no carrier will take you the state's 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 Indiana guides
Every Indiana 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 Indiana (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
- Indiana retail workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Indiana rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Worker's Compensation Board of Indiana or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.