Florida Workers’ Compensation 101: A Simple Guide for Employers

Lucas Alvarez
Jun 10
2 min read

Florida law makes workers’ comp mandatory once you pass certain employee counts (4+ for most firms, 1+ in construction; 6/12 in agriculture). Policies pay medical bills, partial wages, disability, and death benefits for on-the-job injuries. Your annual premium = (class-code rate × payroll ÷ $100) × experience mod, minus safety/drug-free discounts. Keep reading for the simple version, and handy links to the Florida Division of Workers’ Comp.

1. Do I Need Workers' Compensation?

Industry	Employee trigger	Statutory note
Construction	1 or more (including owners)	Independent-contractor status is not recognized
Non-construction	4 or more employees (full- or part-time)	Corporate officers count unless they file an exemption
Agriculture	6 regular or 12 seasonal workers (30 + days/season, 45 + days/year)	Seasonal crews trigger coverage just like full-timers

Shortcut: Unsure? The Division’s Coverage Lookup lets you confirm if you’re compliant.

2. What Does the Policy Actually Cover?

Workers’ compensation in Florida pays three buckets of benefits:

Medical care – doctor visits, surgery, rehab, Rx, medical devices
Indemnity (lost-wage) benefits – Temporary Total, Temporary Partial, Impairment Income, Permanent Total
Death benefits – funeral costs (up to state cap) + dependent payouts + spouse re-training

No-fault peace treaty: By purchasing the policy, employers avoid most employee lawsuits over workplace injuries.

3. How Florida Premiums Are Calculated

Step	What happens	Example (office staff vs. roofers)
Classify each job	NCCI assigns a 4-digit class code reflecting relative risk	8810 (clerical) vs. 5551 (roofing)
Rate per $100 payroll	Florida adopts NCCI’s annual loss-cost filing	8810 ≈ $0.22 ; 5551 ≈ $17.34*
Multiply by payroll	$500,000 payroll ÷ $100 × rate	Roof team: $500k/100 × 17.34 = $86,700
Apply Experience Mod (EMR)	Rewards safe history (< 1.00) or penalizes losses (> 1.00)	EMR 0.85 → $86,700 × 0.85 = $73,695
Discounts	-2 % Safety Program, -5 % Drug-Free Workplace	$73,695 × 0.93 = $68,536

*Illustrative; actual rates change yearly, check the latest NCCI filing or your agent.

4. Florida-Specific Compliance Tips

Construction Owners Can’t “1099” Themselves

State law deems most on-site individuals employees, even LLC members, so buying a policy (or filing an officer exemption) is non-negotiable.

Post the Mandatory “Broken Arm” Poster

Employers must display the official workers’ comp notice where staff clock in.

Nail Down Discounts Early

Submit your OSHA-style Safety Program affidavit and Drug-Free Workplace certificate at renewal to lock in up to 7 % savings.

File First-Report-of-Injury Promptly

Carriers must pay or deny lost-wage benefits within 14 days of notice—late filing can cost penalties.

5. Helpful Links & Next Steps

Florida Division of Workers’ Comp Employer Portal – forms, coverage lookup, compliance guides
NCCI ABCs of Experience Rating – how your EMR is built and how to improve it
Agricultural Employer Fact Sheet – special seasonal-employee rules

Florida’s workers’ comp system looks complex, but the formula is straightforward: Know your headcount trigger, buy the right policy, and manage safety to shrink your EMR. Need a free payroll-class review or help filing a construction officer exemption? Contact Dependable Partners today—your workers stay protected, and your books stay balanced.