Hiring Someone to Work on Property - Liability

[John_Mc]

Over here we have workers comp insurance that employers must pay. If your contractor lets his lapse and gets injured on your property then you become liable for his workers comp.

Same thing in the US.

 

[Diggin It]

Check with the school board.

A: It may not be legal.

B: It may be cause for your dismissal even it it might be legal.

C: They may have a program that would allow it AND cover any liability issues. Some sort of co-op or intern program.

 

[jmc]

This might be worth reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workers'_compensation
When I was an employer, coverage was part of my commercial insurance package and rates were based on risks of your employee's job classification.

IIRC, we need to submit 1099/W-2 payroll information to employees and tax authorities if annual wages exceed some small amount- $600 for each employee back when I asked.

Could be that what time you save cutting weeds, you'll spend shuffling paper.

 

[two_bit_score]

If you want less liability hire a contractor with proof of insurance coverage. Even that doesn't make things trouble free.

Over here we have workers comp insurance that employers must pay. If your contractor lets his lapse and gets injured on your property then you become liable for his workers comp.

Lawyers, insurance companies and the government seems to be doing everything they can to kill jobs and small businesses.

Yep, and in the name of "protecting the workers" which is really no protection at all. Mostly just a way for the lawyers, insurance companies and the government to get paid.

 

[stingray1]

Damn,all this just to get some weeds cut? Get someone that’s at least 18 yrs old. Your homeowners policy should have you covered.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Damn,all this just to get some weeds cut? Get someone that’s at least 18 yrs old. Your homeowners policy should have you covered.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda.... are not legal terms...

 

[RjCorazza]

This has been a depressing read for me
My first job was on a horse farm owned by my 6th grade teacher, shoveling stalls. I used lawn mowers, string trimmers, a Ford 9N and wagon, etc....
Now as an adult I never really considered how different things are today with insurance, lawyers, etc.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ As usual, SOME teachers abused their positions of trust and now there are a whole host of special rules and laws regarding student/teacher interactions that never should have been necessary.

 

[Fuddy1952]

As previously mentioned I'm also a big advocate of umbrella policies. I have same insurance company for home, buildings, cars, etc. An umbrella covers everything and amazingly cheap. I just paid ours, $109/yr extra.

 

[jmc]

If OP buys an umbrella policy, he should read it carefully to see the limitations of coverage, especially with regard to his employees. Knowing insurance companies, they have escape clauses a mile wide, maybe even including what constitutes a "qualified employee" . For example, last time I looked at mine, it specified separate liability coverage minimums on my auto policy before their umbrella coverage applied.