Why Worker's Compensation Does Not Apply To Freelancers

There are some careers that pay off big in the matter of freedom and extra income. Take freelancing, for example. This is a career choice that allows you to be your own boss, make your own hours, take whatever time off you need whenever you need it and without penalties, and make a great income. Then there is the downside: no healthcare benefits, no paid vacation, no pension or retirement benefits, and NO worker's compensation. Here is why the last one does not apply to you.

Worker's Compensation Is an Employer-Sponsored Benefit

While worker's comp is required by law, it only applies to companies and businesses that have employees. It is an employer-sponsored benefit with automatic coverage as the law requires it. Because you work as a freelancer, you are not an employer, nor do you fall under the requirements of the law for worker's compensation.

You Cannot Buy Worker's Compensation Just for Yourself

While you could go to the extent of buying worker's comp insurance for yourself, you would have to have at least one qualifying employee to purchase worker's compensation insurance. You cannot buy the insurance solely for yourself. If you did, there is nothing from preventing you to constantly make claims on it to get paid time off for unestablished injuries. (Unestablished injuries means that you can claim you were hurt, and as the "owner" of the "company" you confirm the injury, but there is no one else that can confirm or deny your claim.)

There Are Rarely Any Work-Related Injuries Sustained on Your Job

That is the thing about freelance work; it is highly unlikely that you will ever be injured. You may have some long-term health effects of constantly sitting, constantly typing, or other repetitious injuries, but that goes with the territory. On the one hand, it is nice to know that work-related injuries are next to none, but on the other hand, there is not a thing you can do if you get injured as a freelancer.

You Are Not About to Sue Yourself

When there are questions about denied worker's comp cases, people seek out a worker's compensation attorney to pursue a lawsuit. They sue their bosses and/or the insurance provider for worker's comp. Clearly, there is no one for you to sue, since you cannot get worker's comp insurance for just yourself, and you are not about to sue yourself over the denial of a claim!