Workers Comp

dirt diggler

platform for lazy small time scam artists

or not?

talk amongst yourselves

Geno

Maybe for the con men looking for easy money, but most workers try to give you an honest day's work for pay. WC also covers your butt from these scam artists suing HOs and contractors- worth the cost IMO.

Geno

Diesel65

Dirt, the way I see it is that workers comp is a good thing (for the insurance companies) Like everything else in life that was started to protect the working man it has become a financial burden to employer's and an easy road for the lazy or drunk or stoner worker that is looking for a quick buck.
I believe they do a good amount of research into the injured person, especially on the bigger claims, but that drives up the premiums in itself.
I wish I knew how it could be fixed but then if I did I wouldn't be working construction would I.

Chris Johnson

Insurance (ALL Types) something you have to have and hope to hell you never have to use it (especially life ins.) I've only run across a few bad apples over the years, the ones that really abuse the system. I have a policy when someone tenders a resignation with notice I immediately tell them thanks and send them one there way, no notice needed, I have seen all too often WC claims made between the time one gives notice to their last day

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Chris

skyhook

In the so. ca. residential market, the percentage of Contractors who carry WC compared to those who don't is probably 10 to 1. Look at the number of permits filled under "exempt" status. WC runs $50-$75 per $100 labor out here. Basically doubling labor costs. Try to compete with those numbers. The unsuspecting ho will pay the higher costs, the small time contractor will pocket the difference in case of an emergency. WC was invented by lawyers and run by lawyers for the sole pupose of making them wealthy. File a claim, get cancelled or see the rates go through the roof. jmo

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tnt specialty

In Colorado, they don't worry about WC. They just call everyone a "sub".

For the life of me, I don't understand why WC isn't 200% here. In the residential market, the ins. co's are missing out on million's, and millions of $'s of potential premium base. Oh yes I do! It's because the workforce is primarily illegal aliens, who are "subs", and sign "WC waivers".............

How many other states are like this?

Chris Johnson

This won't last forever, when I started over 20 years ago this was the norm than they really wised up and with guidelines being implimented everytime you turn around they find a way for you to pay WC on workers who are actual workers and not "subs"

What's everyones definition of a sub? Licensed states are obvious they have a license, what about unlicensed states?

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Chris

Woz the Painter

As far as I know the definition of a sub is guided by IRS/Federal labor laws. It should not matter if a state is licensed or not, should it?

send_it_all

Its high here...but not quite that high...Maybe for roofing.
I pay $40 per hundred for a carpenter making under $23 per hour, then at $23 and above it drops to about $11 per hundred. Its crazy... I had a guy that I was paying $20 per hour, and figured out that if I had given him a $3 per hour raise, he would have cost me $6,000 a year less than I was paying him if he worked full time for a solid year....He ended up leaving (got out of construction) before I had to make a decision

tnt specialty

Woz;

Your right.

However, licensing does make a difference.

Just imagine; Say your a framing contractor in Calif., and they did away with the CSLB tomorrow; Your guys could simply go down and get a local city or county business license to become a "contractor".

Instead of paying them $20.00/hr. plus 70% DLB, (WC, FICA, etc.; $ 34.00/hr; your cost); They'll now work for $25.00/hr as an "independent subcontractor" with absolutely no payroll/employee hassles to deal with. Wouldn't that be easy? That's what goes on here in Colorado!

Teetorbilt

I use grunt labor from a local co. frequently. Overhearing conversations between them can be an eye-opener. Many of them know how to work WC and do.

Another case. I needed rockers and went to the local support co. They tagged me up with a union guy who said that the union DOCTOR would not let him go back to work although he felt fine. I hired the guy 6 yrs. ago, no problems to date.

Just another gov't program gone bad.

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DeanV

I cannot believe the rates some of you have. I thought my 13% Workmans Comp was high for my employees (Michigan). Those 50-75 per 100 rates MUST be with a history of claims????? I do not see how one could even run a business with that kind of overhead.

tnt specialty

Dean;

I believe a year ago or so, the rate for roofers in Ca. was over 100%; Any Ca. roofers?

DeanV

That would have to be reason 153 not to live in CA

send_it_all

Negative...My carpenter rate out of the gate was $43.32 per hundred...it has since dropped to 39 and change...and I dont call it overhead...It's a direct job cost. chargeable to customer.

tnt specialty

I agree send it all.

Would you eliminate nails when shingling a roof? I think not.

Most out here in Colo. will tell you "I can't afford WC".....

DeanV

Is your system completely different from the rest of the country that the rates are so high? Painters around here are higher than carpenters. I guess it all does get factored in with what you need to charge for a job to turn a profit, but wow...

dougchips

I think my rate is $9.13 +/- per $100. Our primary type of work is windows, doors and decks---mostly ground level stuff. I was trying to get a lower rate and it will not happen. I could build a house a year and still be the same rate. If they find me on a roof 5 days a week then I will re-classed as a roofer and they will have the state charge me with insurance fraud. If I hire a kid to clean up garbage his rate would be the same $9.13 no discount for not using tools or being on a ladder.

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