WA · Restaurants & Food Service · Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) state

Restaurants & Food Service workers compensation in Washington

Washington is a monopolistic state fund (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)), so class-by-class Restaurants & Food Service rates are available only via the state fund, not in public filings. As a national reference, Restaurants & Food Service workers comp runs a median of $0.810 per $100 of payroll, with a range of $0.360 to $4.71 across reporting states. Washington caps weekly benefits at $2,338 with a 1-year statute of limitations. Verified 2026-05-09.

National median $0.810
Rate authority Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)
Max weekly benefit $2,338

Restaurants & Food Service rate context for Washington

Washington does not publish class-by-class loss costs publicly, but Restaurants & Food Service rates from comparable reporting states give you a useful planning range. Use the national rate range below as a baseline; your actual quote depends on payroll size, loss history, and your specific NCCI class code.

Restaurants & Food Service class code Typical occupation National median National range
9082 Restaurant, fast food $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9044 Restaurant Operations $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9078 Restaurant, Fast Food $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9079 Restaurant $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9043 Fast Food Restaurant $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9045 Restaurant Employees $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9047 Restaurant, N.O.C. $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9080 Restaurant, Not Fast Food $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
9081 Restaurant, With Entertainment $0.810 $0.360 - $4.71
Why no per-state rates here? Washington runs a monopolistic state fund (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)), so private carriers do not file public rates. The class codes above use the same NCCI nomenclature, but your binding rate comes from your carrier's filed loss cost multiplier (LCM) applied to those base loss costs.

Washington compliance for Restaurants & Food Service employers

Coverage threshold

All employers with one or more employees must provide workers' compensation coverage.

1099 vs W-2 in Restaurants & Food Service

Washington has strict criteria for independent contractor status; workers are presumed employees unless specific conditions are met, making misclassification a significant risk.

Owner exclusion

Allowed in Washington. Sole proprietor self-coverage optional; LLC member self-coverage optional.

Max weekly benefit

$2,338 at 60% of average weekly wage, effective 2025-07-01.

Statute of limitations

1 year from injury date in Washington.

Audit window

Washington carriers audit payroll L&I can audit at any time to verify payroll and classification.. Keep Restaurants & Food Service payroll segregated by class code and have job-duty documentation ready.

Cross-cite: full Washington workers comp overview · Restaurants & Food Service cross-state rate comparison · Washington workers comp lawyer guide · Washington settlement chart

Estimate your Restaurants & Food Service premium in Washington

Pre-filled to Restaurants & Food Service and Washington. Adjust payroll to see a real premium range from filed rates.

Estimate your workers comp premium

Pick your industry, state, and annual payroll. Range comes from real rate filings.

Filing checklist for Restaurants & Food Service businesses in Washington

  1. Step 1, Confirm coverage threshold

    All employers with one or more employees must provide workers' compensation coverage. For Restaurants & Food Service operations, this typically applies once you make a first W-2 hire, even part-time.

  2. Step 2, Pick the right class code

    Restaurants & Food Service businesses typically use codes like 9082, 9044, 9078. The wrong code can cost 4 to 10x more or get reclassified at audit. Across reporting states, Restaurants & Food Service median rates run $0.810 per $100 with a range of $0.360 to $4.71.

  3. Step 3, Get a quote

    Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is one option in Washington; private carriers (Travelers, Hartford, Liberty Mutual, AmTrust) also write coverage. Schedule credits up to 25% are typical for low-loss accounts.

  4. Step 4, Document subcontractors

    General contractors are generally responsible for ensuring subcontractors carry workers' compensation coverage; otherwise, the general contractor may be liable for injuries to the subcontractor's employees. Restaurants & Food Service operators with crews of 1099s should keep certificates of insurance for every sub, otherwise the GC absorbs the sub liability at audit.

  5. Step 5, Annual audit

    Carriers audit payroll L&I can audit at any time to verify payroll and classification.. Have payroll segregated by class code, job descriptions on file, and overtime properly excluded from rated payroll. Restaurants & Food Service class allocation can shift if any worker spends more than 50% of time on a different code.

Penalty for non-coverage in Washington: Employers failing to provide coverage face fines, penalties, and potential criminal charges, and are personally liable for injured workers' benefits.

Restaurants & Food Service workers comp FAQs in Washington

Why aren't Restaurants & Food Service workers comp rates published for Washington?

Washington is a monopolistic state fund. Class-by-class rate data for this state is available through the rating bureau or licensed brokers. For a national reference, Restaurants & Food Service median rates run $0.810 per $100 of payroll across all reporting states, with a typical range of $0.360 to $4.71.

How can a Restaurants & Food Service business in Washington get a real quote?

Get a quote from any private carrier licensed in Washington or the state fund (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)). Provide your annual payroll, ownership structure, and your current Restaurants & Food Service class code. Most carriers will return a binding quote within 24-48 hours.

Are Restaurants & Food Service 1099 contractors covered by workers comp in Washington?

Washington has strict criteria for independent contractor status; workers are presumed employees unless specific conditions are met, making misclassification a significant risk.

What is the maximum weekly benefit for an injured Restaurants & Food Service worker in Washington?

Washington caps weekly workers comp benefits at $2,338 (effective 2025-07-01), calculated as 60% of the average weekly wage. Restaurants & Food Service workers are subject to the same statutory cap as workers in any other industry.

How long does a Restaurants & Food Service worker have to file a comp claim in Washington?

The statute of limitations in Washington is 1 year from the date of injury. Most claims also require notice to the employer within 30 days. Restaurants & Food Service workers should report any incident on the date it happens, even minor strains, because cumulative trauma claims can fail without contemporaneous documentation.

Can a Restaurants & Food Service business owner exclude themselves from comp coverage in Washington?

Yes, Washington allows business owners (sole proprietors, partners, LLC members, corporate officers) to file an exclusion election. Restaurants & Food Service owner-operators often elect out to keep premium below the minimum. Sole-proprietor self-coverage is not required, and LLC member self-coverage is not required.

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