In Michigan, part-time and seasonal workers absolutely count toward whether you need workers' comp. The state's test is 3 or more people working at one time, or one person working 35 or more hours a week for 13 weeks or longer in the past year (MCL 418.115), and part-timers count toward that 3-person number just like full-timers. So three part-time employees on the clock at once can require a policy even if not one of them is full time.
Who this is for: Michigan owners with part-time, seasonal, or a mix of hourly staff.
The short version
- Part-time employees count toward the 3-at-one-time test; there is no part-time exemption.
- Three part-timers working together can trigger coverage even if none is full time.
- The separate single-employee trigger needs 35 or more hours a week for 13 weeks or longer, so one brief, low-hour worker may not hit it.
- Seasonal work is judged by the same two numeric tests, not a separate seasonal rule.
- Once you are covered, every employee is covered, part-time included.
How part-time and seasonal staff count
Michigan measures the 3-person trigger by how many people are working at one time, and it counts part-time people in that number. That is the surprise for a lot of owners: you can be fully staffed with part-timers and still cross the line. The second trigger works on hours over time, catching the small employer with a single steady worker at 35 or more hours a week for 13 weeks or longer. A short, low-hour engagement by one person usually falls below both, but the moment you have three people on at once, duration does not matter.
| Your staffing | Coverage required? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Three part-timers working at one time | Yes | Meets the 3-people-at-one-time trigger; part-timers count |
| One 20-hour-a-week worker, no one else | Often no | Below both triggers, unless you add people |
| One worker at 40 hours a week for 13+ weeks | Yes | Meets the single-employee hours trigger |
| Seasonal crew of 3 or more at once | Yes | Judged by the headcount test, not a separate seasonal rule |
Seasonal businesses
Michigan does not have a special seasonal exemption. A summer landscaping crew, a holiday retail rush, or a festival stand is measured by the same two tests as anyone else. If three or more people are working at one time during your busy stretch, you need a policy for that stretch, even if you shrink back to one or two people in the off-season. The practical move is to plan for coverage before the season ramps up, because the trigger applies the day you cross it, not at year-end.
A Traverse City example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Traverse City gift shop runs with the owner and one part-time clerk most of the year, below the trigger. Every summer it adds two more part-time seasonal clerks, and on busy afternoons three part-timers are working at once. That crosses Michigan's 3-people trigger for the season, so the shop needs a policy while the seasonal help is on. We write coverage that fits the seasonal payroll and make sure the summer clerks are included. See our workers comp for retail stores page.
Real questions Michigan owners ask
Do part-time employees need workers comp in Michigan?
They count toward it. There is no part-time exemption. Part-time workers count toward the 3-people-at-one-time trigger, so having three of them working together can require a policy.
I only have one part-time worker. Do I need coverage?
Probably not yet. A single low-hour worker usually falls below both triggers. Coverage is required only once that person works 35 or more hours a week for 13 weeks, or you add more people.
Does Michigan have a seasonal exemption?
No. Seasonal work is judged by the same two tests as any other work. If 3 or more people are working at one time during your busy season, you need coverage for that period.
Do three part-timers really trigger coverage?
Yes, if they work at one time. Michigan counts part-timers toward the 3-people-at-one-time trigger, so three part-time employees on the clock together can make a policy required.
When does the single-employee hours trigger apply?
At 35 hours a week for 13 weeks. One employee triggers coverage once they work 35 or more hours a week for 13 weeks or longer during the past year.
Are my seasonal workers covered once I have a policy?
Yes. Once a policy is in place, every employee is covered, including part-time and seasonal staff, so long as their payroll is reported.
Why Michigan owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Michigan you buy workers' comp on the open market from any private carrier licensed in the state, because Michigan has no state fund; if no carrier will take you, the Michigan Workers' Compensation Placement Facility (the assigned-risk plan) is the guaranteed fallback, so we can shop your rate freely and still keep a backstop 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 Michigan guides
Every Michigan 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 Michigan (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
- Michigan retail store workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Michigan rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Agency (WDCA) or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.