In Montana, part-time and seasonal employees count toward workers compensation from the first hire, so a business with only part-time staff still needs a policy. Montana sets no minimum hours and no grace period; if someone is your employee, they are covered, no matter how few hours they work.
Who this is for: Montana owners who run on part-time, seasonal, or temporary help.
The short version
- Hours do not create an exemption. One part-time worker triggers coverage (section 39-71-401).
- Seasonal crews count. A summer or holiday hire is an employee for comp purposes.
- Temporary does not mean exempt. Short assignments still count.
- Payroll, not headcount, drives the price. Fewer hours usually means lower premium, not none.
- Family and 1099 rules are separate and are covered in their own guides.
What counts as a covered worker
Montana does not have a part-time or hours threshold. The moment you have an employee, coverage is required, and part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers are all employees.
| Worker | Counts? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time employee, a few hours a week | Yes | No hours minimum; covered from the first hire |
| Seasonal or holiday hire | Yes | Seasonal workers are employees |
| Temporary or on-call worker | Yes | Short or irregular schedules still count |
| True independent contractor with a certificate | No | Must hold a state exemption certificate or their own coverage |
How part-time payroll affects your price
Having only part-time staff lowers your cost, but it does not remove the requirement. Workers comp is priced on payroll, so a small part-time payroll usually means a modest premium rather than none. If your season is short, your policy can be sized to the wages you actually pay, and an end-of-year review trues up the premium to real payroll. The takeaway is simple: you still need a policy, but part-time work is often inexpensive to cover.
A Whitefish example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Whitefish gift shop staffs up with three part-time clerks for the summer tourist season and has no full-time employees. Because those clerks are employees, Montana requires a policy from the first hire, even though each works only a few shifts a week. The premium is small because it is based on the seasonal payroll. When the mall management asks for proof of coverage, the shop produces a certificate the same day. See our workers comp for retail stores page.
Real questions Montana owners ask
Do part-time employees need workers comp in Montana?
Yes. Part-time workers count from the first hire, with no minimum hours and no grace period.
What about seasonal or holiday help?
They count too. Seasonal and temporary workers are employees for comp purposes.
Does a few hours a week really trigger coverage?
Yes. Montana sets no hours threshold, so even a few hours a week makes someone a covered employee.
Will part-time staff cost a lot to cover?
Usually less than full-time, because the price is based on payroll. Fewer hours means lower payroll and lower premium.
Do family part-timers count?
Often yes, unless the narrow dependent family carve-out applies. Otherwise a part-time relative is an employee.
What if all my workers are part-time?
You still need a policy. Having only part-time staff does not exempt you.
Why Montana owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Montana you buy workers' comp on the open market, where private insurers compete with the state-chartered Montana State Fund, which by law must insure almost any Montana employer that asks, so we can shop your rate across carriers and still keep the State Fund as a guaranteed 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 Montana guides
Every Montana 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 Montana (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
- Montana retail store workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Montana rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.