If you have an employee who works in Louisiana, you generally need Louisiana workers compensation for them, even if your company is based in another state and the person works from home. Coverage follows where the work happens, not where the headquarters sits. A remote employee whose job is principally performed in Louisiana needs Louisiana named on a comp policy. The reverse matters too: a Louisiana employer with a worker injured out of state can still owe Louisiana benefits in some cases.
Who this is for: Louisiana employers with remote or traveling staff, and out-of-state employers who have hired someone who lives and works in Louisiana.
The short version
- Coverage generally follows where the employee actually works, not your office location.
- A remote worker based in Louisiana needs Louisiana on the policy.
- An out-of-state employer hiring a Louisiana worker must use an insurer authorized in Louisiana.
- A Louisiana worker injured out of state may still be entitled to Louisiana benefits.
- A generic all-states note on a policy does not always satisfy the requirement; confirm the state is listed.
Where the work happens controls
The practical rule is that a worker mainly performing their job in Louisiana should be covered under Louisiana workers comp. That holds whether they sit in your office, a job site, or their own kitchen table. For an employer based outside Louisiana, the state's guidance is that coverage must meet the home state's requirement and also extend into Louisiana, and that an employer hiring Louisiana employees must use an insurer authorized to write in Louisiana.
| Situation | Where coverage is needed |
|---|---|
| Louisiana business, employee works in Louisiana | Louisiana policy |
| Out-of-state business, remote employee lives and works in Louisiana | Louisiana added, via an insurer authorized in Louisiana |
| Louisiana business, employee travels to other states | Louisiana plus other-states coverage for the travel |
| Louisiana worker injured while working out of state | Louisiana benefits may still apply, with credit for another state's benefits |
Out-of-state employers with a Louisiana worker
If your company is headquartered elsewhere and you hire someone who works from Louisiana, do not assume your existing policy reaches them. Louisiana expects the worker to be covered under a policy written by a carrier authorized in the state, so the fix is usually to add Louisiana to your program or write a separate Louisiana policy. A single remote hire in a new state is the most common way employers end up unknowingly uninsured for that worker.
Louisiana workers who cross state lines
Louisiana also protects its own workers who are hurt elsewhere. A Louisiana worker injured outside the state can be entitled to Louisiana benefits when the employment was principally based in Louisiana or the hiring contract was made in Louisiana. Benefits paid under another state's system are credited against the Louisiana award rather than blocking it. For a business with crews that travel, that is a reason to keep both Louisiana coverage and other-states coverage in place.
A Covington example
Illustrative, not a quote. A software company in Austin hires a full-time developer who lives and works in Covington. The company assumes its Texas coverage is enough, but because the developer principally works in Louisiana, the employer needs Louisiana on a policy written by a carrier authorized there. Adding the state before the developer's start date keeps the hire properly covered. We help remote-first employers line up coverage in each state where they actually have workers. See our workers comp for tech companies page.
Real questions Louisiana owners ask
I run a Louisiana business with remote staff. Do they need coverage?
Yes. A remote employee who mainly works in Louisiana needs Louisiana workers comp, even if they work from home. Coverage follows where the work is actually performed, not where your office sits.
I am out of state and hired someone in Louisiana. Do I need Louisiana coverage?
Usually yes. Louisiana expects the worker covered under a policy from a carrier authorized in the state, so you generally add Louisiana to your program or write a separate Louisiana policy for that hire.
Does my all-states endorsement cover a Louisiana worker?
Not always. A generic other-states note does not reliably satisfy Louisiana, which expects the state named and an authorized carrier. Confirm Louisiana is actually listed rather than assuming a blanket line covers it.
My Louisiana employee got hurt while working in another state. Are they covered?
They may be entitled to Louisiana benefits. If the job was principally based in Louisiana or the hiring contract was made there, Louisiana benefits can apply, with credit for any benefits paid by the other state.
Which state's coverage applies if a worker splits time across states?
It depends on where the work is principally performed and where they were hired. A worker mainly based in Louisiana points to Louisiana coverage, and traveling staff often need Louisiana plus other-states coverage.
Do I need a separate policy for each state my workers are in?
Often you need each state listed, whether on one program or separate policies. The key is that every state where you have workers, including Louisiana, is properly covered by an authorized carrier.
A remote hire in Louisiana seems minor. Can I skip coverage?
No. Even a single remote worker in Louisiana can leave you uninsured for that person if the state is not on your policy, which exposes you to Louisiana's penalties, so add the state before they start.
Why Louisiana owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Louisiana you buy workers comp on the open, competitive market from any private insurer licensed in the state or from the state-created mutual fund, the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation, which also serves as the guaranteed market that cannot turn you down, 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 Louisiana guides
Every Louisiana 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 Louisiana (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?
- Only part-time or seasonal staff: do I need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- 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
- Louisiana tech company workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Louisiana rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Louisiana Workforce Commission's Office of Workers' Compensation Administration or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.