[MARTIAL MONK]

If you are incorporated and actively involved in the business you are forced to carry WC for yourself. I have had businesses in four states and was forced to pay for myself even in situations where I was rarely there.

I had one long time employee who was involved in a serious automobile accident (non-work related). She was out for over a year but I kept her on the payroll. I didn't mind paying the salary but it really grated that I had to pay the WC premiums, too.

I can understand the county requireing WC. If you didn't have it they would be next in line for a suit.

[farmfriend]

Sole proprietor not incorporated.

[scripter]

We're incorporated in California and do not carry WC. We've been told that if we don't have any employees (other than the corporate officers), WC is not required. The state of California tried really hard to convince our last contract that we had to have it, but they lost.

We refused the contract if we had to carry WC so the company who wanted to hire us contacted the state and specifically asked: "Is it a requirement if they don't have any employees" and the state representative apparently got really annoyed and answered "no." Then went into some tirade about how we're not taking care of our families.

I had to laugh at that, as if WC is the only solution.

I don't know the WC differences between corporations and sole proprietorships. If that's what makes the difference, and I have no idea why it would, but making the change to a corporation would be worth the savings.