Yes, if your Washington workers are part-time or seasonal, you still need workers compensation, and you buy it from the state fund at the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). Washington sets no minimum hours and no headcount floor, so a single part-time worker triggers coverage from the first hour they work. There is a silver lining built into Washington's system: because premium is charged by the hour worked, a part-timer who works few hours generates less premium than a full-timer, so you pay for the hours you actually use.
Who this is for: Washington owners whose only staff are part-time, seasonal, temporary, or on-call workers.
The short version
- Part-time and seasonal workers are covered from the first hour; there is no minimum-hours exception.
- Even one part-time worker means you must open an L&I account and report hours.
- Premium is billed by the hour worked, so fewer hours means less premium.
- By law you can deduct part of the premium from the worker's pay, whether they are part-time or full-time.
- You buy only from the state fund; there is no private carrier to shop in Washington.
Why part-time does not mean exempt
Some owners assume a worker has to hit a certain number of hours, or that seasonal help does not count. Washington does not work that way. The mandate turns on whether someone is a covered worker, not on how many hours they work, so a weekend-only helper, a summer crew member, and an on-call fill-in all count from their first hour. What does scale with hours is your cost. Because Washington bills premium per hour worked in each work category, rather than as a percentage of payroll, a part-timer's premium reflects only the hours they actually put in. You report those hours to L&I each quarter and pay on the real total.
How the hourly system treats part-timers
| Worker | Covered? | How premium works |
|---|---|---|
| One part-time worker | Yes, from the first hour | You report their actual hours; premium reflects only those hours |
| Seasonal or on-call staff | Yes | Report hours in the quarters they work; no coverage gap for the busy season |
| A full-timer for comparison | Yes | More hours means more premium in the same work category |
Keeping it simple and accurate
The two things that keep a small, part-time crew correct are reporting the right work category and reporting hours accurately. Rates vary a lot by the kind of work someone does, so putting a worker in the wrong category can mean overpaying or underpaying. Tracking each worker's hours means you pay for what you actually use and are not surprised at audit. And since the state fund pays a hurt worker's benefits but does not defend a lawsuit, adding stop-gap employers liability to your general liability policy is worth doing even for a small part-time team.
A Renton example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Renton retail shop is open weekends with three part-time clerks, none working more than 20 hours a week. Even though nobody is full-time, Washington requires coverage from their first shift, so the owner opens an L&I account and reports the clerks' hours each quarter. Because premium is by the hour, the shop's cost stays modest, and the owner deducts the worker share from each paycheck as the law allows. See our workers comp for retail stores page.
Real questions Washington owners ask
Do I need workers comp for part-time employees in Washington?
Yes. Washington has no part-time or minimum-hours exception, so a part-time worker is covered from the first hour. You open a state account and report their hours like any other worker.
What about seasonal or on-call staff?
They are covered too. Washington counts seasonal, temporary, and on-call workers from their first hour. You report their hours in the quarters they actually work, with no gap for a busy season.
Does a part-timer cost less to cover?
Generally yes. Washington bills premium by the hour worked, not on payroll, so a worker who puts in few hours generates less premium than a full-timer in the same work category.
Do I really report hours instead of payroll?
Yes. Washington premium is based on hours worked in each work category, which you report to the state fund each quarter. That is different from most states, where premium is a percentage of payroll.
Can I deduct part of the premium from a part-timer's pay?
Yes. Washington law lets you deduct about a quarter of the premium from a worker's pay, whether they are part-time or full-time, while you cover the rest.
Where do I buy the coverage?
Only from the state fund at Labor and Industries. Washington does not allow private workers comp carriers, so you open an L and I account and report hours rather than shopping for a policy.
Does the state policy defend me if a part-timer sues?
No. The state fund pays a hurt worker's benefits but does not provide a legal defense. Adding stop-gap employers liability to your general liability policy covers that defense even for a small crew.
Why Washington owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Washington, workers' compensation is sold only through the state fund at the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), with no private carriers to shop, so we help you open and run your L&I account correctly and place the stop-gap employers liability and other business coverages the state fund does not include.
- 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 Washington guides
Every Washington 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 Washington (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
- Washington retail workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Washington rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.