Restaurant Workers' Comp in Connecticut
What Connecticut requires of restaurants and bars for workers' compensation — when it kicks in, who's exempt, and what it costs.
Reviewed by J. Robert Smith, Licensed Insurance Agent (NPN 10378680). Last updated .
Yes. Connecticut mandates workers' compensation for any restaurant with even one employee, including a single part-time worker, under the Workers' Compensation Act. Owners, partners, and single-member-LLC members are excluded but may opt in. Knowingly operating uninsured is a class D felony, plus civil penalties of $500 per employee and $100 for each additional day.
- Required?
- Yes
- Kicks in at
- One or more employees (1+). Under CGS 31-284/31-275 any employer with even a single part-time employee must carry coverage; there is no minimum-employee threshold.
- Restaurant rate
- NCCI class 9082 (full-service) and 9083 (fast food). Approximately $0.80–$1.40 per $100 of payroll — Connecticut is a moderate-to-higher-cost Northeast state, well above Indiana. Rates are NCCI loss-cost based with carrier multipliers. Approximate, industry tier.
- Market
- Competitive private market with no state fund; residual-market (assigned-risk) coverage is placed through the NCCI-administered plan.
Is workers’ comp required for a restaurant in Connecticut?
Connecticut requires workers' compensation once you reach One or more employees (1+). Under CGS 31-284/31-275 any employer with even a single part-time employee must carry coverage; there is no minimum-employee threshold.. Sole proprietors, business partners, and single-member-LLC members are excluded from their own coverage by default but may elect to opt in; corporate officers are covered but may elect exclusion. Domestic workers employed under 26 hours per week and certain casual employees are exempt from mandatory coverage.
What restaurant workers’ comp costs in Connecticut
The restaurant class-code rate in Connecticut is NCCI class 9082 (full-service) and 9083 (fast food). Approximately $0.80–$1.40 per $100 of payroll — Connecticut is a moderate-to-higher-cost Northeast state, well above Indiana. Rates are NCCI loss-cost based with carrier multipliers. Approximate, industry tier.. Your premium is that rate applied per $100 of payroll and adjusted by your experience modifier, so it scales with how many people you employ and your claims history. Competitive private market with no state fund; residual-market (assigned-risk) coverage is placed through the NCCI-administered plan.
What owners in Connecticut miss
- Under CGS § 31-288, knowingly and willfully failing to carry coverage is a class D felony chargeable against the individual owner, partner, principal, or corporate officer — not merely the business entity.
- Civil penalties run not less than $500 per employee (or $5,000, whichever is less) up to $50,000, plus $100 for each day of continued noncompliance after the finding.
- Connecticut's threshold captures even a single part-time employee, yet sole proprietors, partners, and single-member-LLC owners are excluded from their own coverage by default and must formally opt in.
- The Workers' Compensation Commission can effectively halt operations of a noncomplying employer until coverage is obtained and penalties are paid.
Sources
- Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission: Sec. 31-288 — Workers' Compensation Actprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
- FindLaw (Connecticut General Statutes): CGS § 31-288 — Additional liability; penalty for noncomplianceprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
- Justia (Connecticut General Statutes): CGS § 31-284 — Basic rights and liabilities; insurance requirementprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
Cost examples are illustrative national figures gathered from public filings and industry surveys. They are not quotes. Your actual premium depends on your state, carrier, revenue, payroll, location, and coverage selections. Restaurant Insurance Authority is an insurance marketing and referral service, not an insurer or licensed agency. We connect business owners with licensed independent commercial-lines agents who specialize in food and beverage. Questions? Call (855) 480-1410.
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