In Missouri, part-time and seasonal workers count toward the employee threshold exactly like full-time workers. So if you have five or more people on the payroll for most businesses, or one or more in construction, you need workers comp even if none of them works full-time. There is no hours floor and no way to slip under the limit by keeping everyone part-time.
Who this is for: Missouri owners with part-time, seasonal, or temporary staff who want to know whether those workers push them into a coverage requirement.
The short version
- Part-time and seasonal workers count toward the five-employee threshold.
- There is no minimum hours a worker must reach before they count.
- Five part-timers put a general business over the line just like five full-timers.
- In construction, even one part-time worker triggers the requirement.
- Once a part-timer is covered, their on-the-job injuries are handled by the policy.
How the count works
Missouri counts people, not hours. A worker is a worker whether they are on the clock 40 hours a week or 8.
| Worker | Counts toward the five? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time employee | Yes | An employee under the law |
| Part-time employee | Yes | No hours floor to reach |
| Seasonal or temporary worker | Yes | Still an employee while working for you |
| A genuine independent contractor | No | Only if they truly pass the control test |
You cannot dodge coverage by cutting hours
A common assumption is that part-timers do not count, so a shop full of part-time staff is somehow exempt. In Missouri that is wrong. Because the count is by number of people and not by hours, five part-time employees put a general business over the threshold the same as five full-time ones. Splitting a role into two part-time positions can actually get you to five faster. The only workers who do not count are genuine independent contractors and the narrow statutory exemptions, not part-timers.
Construction counts from the first part-timer
If your business is in construction, the five-employee rule does not apply and a single employee triggers coverage, part-time included. So a construction outfit with one part-time laborer already needs a policy. That is also the point at which a city or county will want proof of coverage, or an exemption affidavit, before it issues your contractor license.
A retail example
Illustrative, not a quote. A gift shop in St. Charles staffs up for the holidays with six part-time seasonal clerks and no full-time employees. The owner assumes seasonal part-timers do not count, but Missouri counts them, so six part-timers put the shop over the five-employee line and coverage is required for the season. When a clerk strains her back moving stock, the policy covers the medical bills and part of her lost wages. We help the owner set up coverage that flexes with seasonal payroll. See our workers comp for retail stores page.
Real questions Missouri owners ask
Do part-time employees need workers comp in Missouri?
They count toward it. Once you have five or more employees of any kind for a general business, part-timers included, you need coverage. In construction, even one part-time worker triggers it.
Do part-time workers count toward the five in Missouri?
Yes. Missouri counts people, not hours, so a part-time worker counts the same as a full-time one. Five part-timers put a general business over the threshold.
Can I avoid workers comp by keeping everyone part-time?
No. Because there is no hours floor, part-timers count fully. Splitting jobs into part-time roles can actually reach the five-employee trigger faster, not slower.
Do seasonal or temporary workers count in Missouri?
Yes. A seasonal or temporary worker is still an employee while they work for you, so they count toward the threshold, and their on-the-job injuries are covered once you carry a policy.
How many part-time employees before I need coverage?
For most businesses, five. Construction is the exception, where a single part-time employee is enough. The count does not care whether the five are full-time, part-time, or a mix.
Are my part-timers covered the same as full-timers?
Yes. Once they are on the policy, part-time employees get the same medical and wage benefits for a work injury as full-time employees. Coverage does not depend on hours worked.
Do minors I hire part-time count?
Yes. A paid minor employee counts toward the threshold like any other worker, and is covered by the policy if hurt on the job. Age does not change the answer.
Why Missouri owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Missouri you buy workers' comp on the open, competitive market from any private insurer licensed in the state, because Missouri has no state fund after Missouri Employers Mutual became a fully private company in 2025, and if no private carrier will take you, the insurer-of-last-resort pool run by NCCI and serviced by Travelers 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 Missouri guides
Every Missouri 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 Missouri (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
- Missouri retail workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Missouri rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.