If your only workers are part-time or seasonal, whether you need workers compensation in Kansas comes down to payroll. Kansas has no special exception for part-time or seasonal staff, so their wages count toward the same 20,000 dollar gross annual payroll line as anyone else. Add up what you pay everyone for the year, and once that total passes 20,000 dollars you must carry coverage, even if no one works full time.
Who this is for: Kansas 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
- Kansas has no part-time or seasonal exception; those wages count toward the 20,000 dollar line.
- The trigger is total payroll, not hours or headcount, so it is the sum of what you pay that matters.
- A few low-hour part-timers whose combined pay stays under 20,000 dollars may keep you a non-covered employer.
- Cross 20,000 dollars in total wages and coverage becomes required, even with an all part-time crew.
- Part-time pay is still counted in the premium, but a smaller payroll usually means a smaller premium.
Why hours do not create a separate rule
Kansas measures the duty to insure by total payroll, not by anyone's 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, is left out of the count. A weekend cashier, a summer-only crew, and a holiday-season hire all have their wages added to your total. That cuts both ways: because Kansas counts payroll rather than heads, a couple of low-hour part-timers can leave you under the line, while the same headcount at higher pay can put you over it.
| Your staff | Comp required? |
|---|---|
| Part-time crew, total wages over 20,000 dollars | Yes, once you pass the line |
| A few low-hour part-timers, total under 20,000 dollars | Not required while you stay under |
| Seasonal or holiday-only workers | Their wages count toward the total |
| Only true independent contractors | Not on them, if they really are independent |
| Just the owner, no employees | No, unless you elect 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 once you are over the line, because an uninsured injury costs far more than the premium and can expose you to penalties. If your headcount and payroll swing with the season, tell us, and we can set the policy up so your premium tracks your actual payroll rather than a guess.
A Salina example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Salina retail shop is run by the owner with three part-time cashiers who each earn about 12,000 dollars a year, roughly 36,000 dollars in total. Because that combined payroll is over 20,000 dollars, Kansas requires a workers comp policy covering all three, even though none is full time. The owner, a sole proprietor, is off the policy by default but can elect 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 Kansas owners ask
Do I need workers comp if all my staff are part-time in Kansas?
It depends on your total payroll. Kansas has no part-time exception, so part-time and seasonal wages count toward the 20,000 dollar line. Add them all up, and once the total passes 20,000 dollars a year you must carry coverage.
Does one part-time employee automatically trigger the requirement?
No, not by itself. Kansas counts payroll, not heads, so a single low-wage part-timer may keep you under the line. It is your total wages for all employees passing 20,000 dollars that makes a policy required.
Do seasonal or holiday workers count?
Yes. Seasonal and temporary wages are added to your total for the year, so a summer crew or a holiday-season hire counts toward the 20,000 dollar line just like year-round staff.
How do I know if my part-time payroll crosses the line?
Add up the gross wages you expect to pay all employees for the year. If that total is more than 20,000 dollars, you must insure. Wages paid to your own family members are the one thing left out of the count.
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. Kansas looks at who controls the work, not the title. A part-timer you schedule and direct is an employee whose wages count toward the line, 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 once their wages put you over 20,000 dollars. You, as a sole-proprietor owner, are off the policy by default and can elect in to cover your own injuries if you want that protection.
Why Kansas owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Kansas 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, run by the national rating bureau, 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 Kansas guides
Every Kansas 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 Kansas (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
- Kansas retail workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Kansas rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Kansas Department of Labor, Division of Workers Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.