Restaurant Workers' Comp in Louisiana
What Louisiana 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. Louisiana mandates workers'-compensation coverage for virtually every employer with one or more employees, full-time or part-time—restaurants included—with no numerical threshold. Coverage begins with the first hire. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members are covered but may elect exclusion; corporate officers likewise. Narrow statutory exemptions cover certain household and unincorporated-farm labor and contracted musicians.
- Required?
- Yes
- Kicks in at
- 1+ employees (any person hired for remuneration, full- or part-time; mandatory from the first employee).
- Restaurant rate
- NCCI 9082 (full-service restaurant) approx. $1.40–$1.70 per $100 payroll; 9083 (fast-food/limited-service) approx. $1.20–$1.50 per $100. Moderate hazard tier. Approximate, industry tier.
- Market
- Competitive private market; the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation (LWCC) is a state-created but competitive, self-supporting insurer that also serves as the residual/assigned-risk market, so there is no monopolistic state fund.
Is workers’ comp required for a restaurant in Louisiana?
Louisiana requires workers' compensation once you reach 1+ employees (any person hired for remuneration, full- or part-time; mandatory from the first employee).. Sole proprietors, partners, LLC members, and corporate officers are included by default but may elect out of coverage on themselves. Statutory exemptions are narrow: private residential-household labor, unincorporated-farm labor performed directly by the farmer, and musicians/performers rendering services under a performance contract.
What restaurant workers’ comp costs in Louisiana
The restaurant class-code rate in Louisiana is NCCI 9082 (full-service restaurant) approx. $1.40–$1.70 per $100 payroll; 9083 (fast-food/limited-service) approx. $1.20–$1.50 per $100. Moderate hazard tier. 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; the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation (LWCC) is a state-created but competitive, self-supporting insurer that also serves as the residual/assigned-risk market, so there is no monopolistic state fund.
What owners in Louisiana miss
- Louisiana is one of the strictest states, imposing coverage from the very first employee with essentially no small-employer size exemption.
- Proof of coverage must be filed with the Office of Workers' Compensation Administration (OWCA) to avoid penalties.
- Owner opt-outs must be documented in writing with the carrier.
- LWCC is the largest workers'-comp writer in the state.
Sources
- Louisiana Workforce Commission: Workers' Compensation for Employersprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
- Louisiana Workforce Commission: FAQ — Workers' Compensation — Employers & Disputed Claimsprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
- Louisiana Revised Statutes (Justia): RS 23:1035 — Employees coveredprimaryretrieved 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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