If your only workers are part-time or seasonal, you still need workers compensation in Kentucky. The state requires coverage from the first employee and counts part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers the same as full-time staff. There is no minimum number of hours and no headcount you get to reach first. A single part-time hire working a few hours a week is enough to trigger the requirement.
Who this is for: Kentucky employers who staff with part-time, seasonal, or temporary workers, such as restaurants, shops, and seasonal operations.
The short version
- Part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers all count as employees in Kentucky.
- Coverage is required from the first employee, regardless of hours.
- There is no hours threshold that keeps a part-timer off the count.
- Premium is based on actual payroll, so a light part-time payroll usually means a modest premium.
- Seasonal businesses still need coverage in place before the busy-season crew starts.
Why hours do not create an exemption
Kentucky's guidance is direct that part-time workers are employees, right alongside family and temporary workers. The requirement attaches to the employment relationship, not to how many hours someone works or how long the season lasts. That surprises owners who assume a 10-hour-a-week helper or a three-month summer hire does not count. They do. What changes with a small part-time payroll is not whether you need coverage but how much it costs, because premium is calculated on the wages you actually pay.
| Staffing pattern | Comp required? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| One part-time employee, a few hours a week | Yes | Hours do not create an exemption |
| Seasonal crew for part of the year | Yes | Coverage needed before the season starts |
| Temporary workers | Yes | Counted the same as regular staff |
| Only unpaid volunteers | Generally no | Volunteers are usually not employees |
Keeping the cost sensible
Because premium follows payroll, a business that runs on a small part-time crew usually pays a small premium, sometimes with a policy minimum as the floor. The keys to a fair price are classifying the work correctly and reporting only actual wages. Seasonal employers should make sure coverage is active before the first busy-season shift, since the per-employee daily fine for going without runs the whole time uninsured staff are working, not just once.
A Paducah example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Paducah ice cream shop is closed all winter and reopens in April with the owner and four part-time teenagers working evenings. The owner assumes part-timers under 20 hours do not count, but in Kentucky they do, so the shop needs a policy covering all four before opening weekend. Because their combined payroll is small, the premium is modest. Putting coverage in place before the first shift avoids fines that would otherwise add up for every worker, every day. See our workers comp for restaurants page.
Real questions Kentucky owners ask
Do part-time employees need workers comp in Kentucky?
Yes. Kentucky counts part-time workers as employees and requires coverage from the first one. There is no minimum number of hours that keeps a part-timer off the requirement.
What if my worker is only seasonal?
Seasonal workers still count. Kentucky requires coverage for them just like year-round staff, so a seasonal business needs a policy in place before the busy-season crew starts working.
Is there an hours threshold in Kentucky?
No. Unlike a few states that exempt very low-hour or casual workers, Kentucky ties the requirement to being an employee. Even a few hours a week counts, so the policy is required.
Will a small part-time crew cost a lot to cover?
Usually not. Premium is based on the wages you actually pay, so a light part-time payroll generally means a modest premium, sometimes at the policy's minimum. Correct classification keeps it fair.
Do temporary workers count too?
Yes. Kentucky lists temporary workers as employees who count. Whether someone is short-term, seasonal, or filling in, the coverage requirement applies the same as it does for permanent staff.
Do unpaid volunteers count?
Generally no. A true volunteer who receives no wages is usually not an employee and does not trigger the requirement. Paid part-time staff, however, always count and must be covered.
When does a seasonal business need coverage active?
Before the first shift of the season. The per-employee daily penalty for going without runs the entire time uninsured workers are on the clock, so coverage should be in force on or before opening day.
Why Kentucky owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Kentucky you buy workers comp on the open, competitive market from any private insurer licensed in the state, and if no carrier will take you, the state's own fund, Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance, cannot turn you down, so we can shop your rate freely and still have a guaranteed 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 Kentucky guides
Every Kentucky 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 Kentucky (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
- Kentucky restaurant workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Kentucky rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.