What Trades Are Considered “Construction Industry” Per Florida Statutes

Florida has complex laws regarding Workers’ Compensation insurance requirements. To learn more about how trade workers are classified, and if they are considered part of the construction industry, contact our brokers.

In Florida, the construction industry is vast, including many common trade jobs, such as carpentry, roofing, painting, and HVAC installation. If you are a trade worker operating alone in a sole proprietorship in Florida, you will need Workers’ Compensation insurance if you are also part of the construction industry. For companies looking for help from trade workers, it’s a bit more complicated. If you choose to work with a sole proprietor, you don’t need to get coverage for them. If you choose to hire a trade worker as an employee, you must include them on payroll information for Workers’ Compensation insurance in Florida.

Our brokers are here to help employers understand Florida’s complicated Workers’ Compensation insurance system. To learn more about the Florida Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers, call today at (561) 990-3022.

What Trade Jobs Are Part of the Construction Industry in Florida?

In Florida, almost 100 jobs, including many trade jobs, are considered part of the construction industry. Learning about these jobs and their definitions is important, whether you are a trade worker or considering hiring a trade worker for temporary work in Florida. That way, you can understand your Workers’ Compensation liability.

Many trade jobs are considered part of the construction industry in Florida, some of which might be surprising. The following are some of the most common trade jobs that are also part of the construction industry in Florida:

• Carpenters
• Contractors
• Electricians
• HVAC technicians
• Painters
• Roofers
• Wallboard installers

These common trade jobs are part of the construction industry in Florida, meaning trade workers doing these jobs are beholden to the same Workers’ Compensation insurance requirements as any other company with even one employee in the construction industry, even if they work alone or for themselves.

If you are unsure whether you are considered a construction worker based on your trade or whether you need Workers’ Compensation insurance for an employee you’ve hired to do a specific type of work, contact our brokers. Our Florida Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers can refer to the guidance from Florida Administrative Code Rule 69L-6.021 to determine your insurance liability.

Do Trade Workers in the Construction Industry Need Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Florida?

If you’re a trade worker in Florida, and your specific line of work is considered construction, you must get Workers’ Compensation insurance. That’s the case even if you are a sole proprietor working for and by yourself in Florida.

Any trade workers that work alone in Florida and are considered part of the construction industry are not independent contractors. You may have to start a sole proprietorship if you want to work for yourself using your specific trade. Independent contractors are not permitted in the construction industry in Florida.

If you are a trade worker operating alone in your sole proprietorship and are part of the construction industry, you will need Workers’ Compensation insurance in Florida. The state requires Workers’ Compensation insurance for all companies in the construction industry, even those with only one employee.

Finding Workers’ Compensation coverage can be difficult for sole proprietors that are trade workers, especially if they are part of a high-risk industry like construction. To find affordable premiums that meet your needs, speak with our Florida Small Business Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers. Our brokers can source quotes for you within a matter of days so that you can get the coverage you need to stay protected as a trade worker in the construction industry in Florida.

Do You Need Workers’ Comp if You Hire a Trade Worker for Construction Work in Florida?

Hiring a trade worker and determining whether or not you need Workers’ Compensation insurance for them in Florida can be confusing. For clarification regarding their specific situations, employers can reach out to our Florida Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers.

Working with a Sole Proprietor

If your company realizes that it needs outside help while doing construction work in Florida, you may decide to consult a trade worker. When you do this, it is important to know that you are not working with an independent contractor. Remember, independent contractors, don’t exist in the construction industry in Florida. Instead, your company will have to work with another company, such as a sole proprietorship, to get outside help from trade workers.

When you do this, you don’t have to include the sole proprietor in your payroll numbers for Workers’ Compensation insurance. That’s because the trade worker isn’t considered an employee of your company, but an employee of their sole proprietorship. That said, you may have to verify that the trade worker you enlist help from has the necessary Workers’ Compensation insurance as a sole proprietor in the construction industry in Florida.

Hiring a Trade Worker as an Employee

In Florida, you can’t hire a trade worker as an independent contractor for construction work. Apart from working alongside another business or sole proprietor, the only way to bring in a trade worker for help on a construction project is by hiring them as an employee. You might think this will only increase your Workers’ Compensation insurance premiums. To prevent that from happening, partner with our experienced brokers. Our Florida Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers can help you find pay-as-you-go coverage so that a temporary increase in payroll numbers from hiring a trade worker doesn’t affect your premiums in the long run.

Call Our Florida Brokers to Get Workers’ Compensation Insurance

If you need to get Workers’ Compensation for your employees in Florida, our brokers can help. To learn more about the Florida Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers, call today at (561) 990-3022.