Which Employees Are Covered in Missouri by Missouri Workers’ Comp?

Understand how workers’ compensation works in the state of Missouri.

With some minor exceptions, Missouri workers’ compensation law provides coverage for all workers injured on the job while working within Missouri. The Workers’ Compensation Division of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations administers Missouri workers’ compensation law. The most important thing you can do is talk to a Workers’ Compensation attorney call Northland Injury Law at 816-400-4878.

Which Employees Are Covered by Missouri Workers’ Comp?

If your employer has five or more employees, your employer is required by Missouri law to have workers’ compensation insurance or be “self-insured.” But almost all construction companies with one or more employees are required to have workers’ compensation insurance.

Like every other state, Missouri exempts federal employees from coverage under Missouri law, with separate federal programs covering railroad, postal, and maritime workers. Under Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 287, the Workers’ Compensation Act also exempts a narrow and specific group of state-level workers: farm laborers, domestic servants in a private home, qualified real estate agents, direct sellers, commercial motor-carrier owner-operators, and unpaid volunteers of qualifying 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organizations, as well as adjudicators and sports officials for interscholastic or amateur youth programs. Independent contractors are generally not covered, though employers, particularly in construction, may still bear liability for injuries involving uninsured subcontractors whose workers are later determined to be employees. Notably, agricultural employers with ten or more employees are required to carry coverage, meaning not all farm-related workers are automatically excluded.

Talk to an Attorney

A Missouri attorney experienced in workers’ compensation can be an invaluable asset to your case, especially if you were seriously injured and cannot go back to work. You should strongly consider talking to a worker’s comp attorney if you need to appeal a denial of your claim and/or your injuries are severe or complex. For a more comprehensive list of all the questions you might have about workers’ compensation, and for a free consultation, please call (816)-400-4878. If you have further questions about your case, do not hesitate to reach out to us by the phone number, through the contact form, or even with the live chat option listed on our site!