Workers' compensation by industry in Oregon.
Oregon employers generally need workers' compensation when they have one or more subject workers, but the policy is not built the same way for every business. Classifications follow the work employees actually perform, and audit exposure changes with payroll, subcontractors, owners, departments, and where employees work. Start with your business type below, then talk with us if you want the policy quoted or reviewed.
A business name or job title does not determine a final workers' compensation class code. Actual classifications depend on operations, employee duties, payroll records, and current carrier and rating rules. The descriptions below are educational starting points, not classification decisions.
Contractors and property trades
Residential remodeling contractors
Remodelers often have employees performing more than one trade and may also use subcontractors. The policy needs a clear account of who performs each trade, payroll by duty, and current subcontractor certificates.
Explore residential remodeling contractors workers' comp →HVAC contractors
Service technicians, installers, shop employees, drivers, and office staff. Installation versus repair, sheet-metal work, payroll separation, subcontractors, and out-of-state work can all affect how the policy is built.
Explore hvac contractors workers' comp →Plumbing contractors
Service, new construction, specialty systems, and excavation are not automatically treated the same way. A useful review identifies the operations, duties, owner treatment, subcontractors, and payroll before classifying the account.
Explore plumbing contractors workers' comp →Electrical contractors
Building wiring, low-voltage systems, security installation, outside work, and projects across state lines create different questions. The policy should reflect what employees do, not just the word electrician.
Explore electrical contractors workers' comp →Painting contractors
Interior, exterior, shop work, specialty coatings, height exposure, and subcontracted labor affect classification and appetite. Payroll records and subcontractor certificates matter most at audit.
Explore painting contractors workers' comp →Landscaping maintenance companies
Routine maintenance should be distinguished from tree removal, major excavation, and land clearing. Seasonal payroll, crew duties, driving, chemical use, owners, and subcontracted work all deserve review.
Explore landscaping maintenance companies workers' comp →Flooring installers
Carpet, resilient flooring, hardwood, tile, floor preparation, and any shop fabrication may not be treated identically. Employee duties, subcontractors, and payroll separation should be documented before audit.
Explore flooring installers workers' comp →Finish carpentry and trim contractors
Finish work may involve onsite installation, shop fabrication, cabinets, stairs, or general carpentry. A good review separates those operations and checks payroll, subcontractors, and locations.
Explore finish carpentry and trim contractors workers' comp →Cabinet installers
Cabinet installation and cabinet manufacturing are different operations. Identify whether employees fabricate, finish, deliver, or only install, along with subcontractor use and payroll by part of the business.
Explore cabinet installers workers' comp →Drywall contractors
Hanging, taping, finishing, texturing, and related carpentry or painting can affect the account. Payroll by duty, subcontracted crews, certificates, ladders or stilts, and locations are common questions.
Explore drywall contractors workers' comp →Tile and stone installers
Installation, countertop work, cutting or fabrication, and material delivery create different exposures. The review should identify where fabrication occurs and who performs each part.
Explore tile and stone installers workers' comp →Handyman businesses
There is no complete class called handyman. The classification follows the work performed. A business doing repairs, carpentry, painting, or maintenance needs records that show which operations its employees perform.
Explore handyman businesses workers' comp →Low-voltage and security-system installers
Cabling, alarms, monitoring, access control, cameras, and any electrical work need to be distinguished. Driving, ladders, onsite installation, other-state work, and subcontractors can affect the policy.
Explore low-voltage and security-system installers workers' comp →Healthcare and care services
Home healthcare agencies
Clinical work combines with travel, patient handling, scheduling, and work away from a controlled office. Distinguish clinical employees, administrative staff, transportation, and any employees working outside Oregon.
Assisted-living facilities
Caregivers, nurses, kitchen employees, maintenance, drivers, administrators, and activity staff. Separating employee groups and managing lifting, patient handling, and return-to-work can materially affect the program.
Nonmedical home-care agencies
Companion care, personal care, housekeeping, transportation, and clinical services are not interchangeable. Caregiver status, driving, lifting, locations, and the medical/nonmedical boundary require clear documentation.
Medical offices
Physicians, clinical employees, clerical staff, labs, and mobile services may create different questions. Owner treatment, needlestick and lifting exposure, multiple locations, and out-of-state employees also matter.
Explore medical offices workers' comp →Social-service organizations
These range from office-based programs to direct care, transportation, and field work. Employee duties, volunteers, client interaction, driving, and the administrative-versus-direct-service line need to be understood.
Veterinary clinics
Small-animal clinics, boarding, grooming, mobile services, and large-animal work create different exposures. Animal handling, bites, lifting, sharps, driving, and duties should be reviewed with the broader program.
Explore veterinary clinics workers' comp →Physical therapy practices
Therapists and assistants perform hands-on patient work that differs from clerical duties. Patient handling, repetitive motion, multiple locations, owners, and multistate employees should be addressed.
Explore physical therapy practices workers' comp →Dental offices
Dentists, hygienists, assistants, lab work, and clerical employees may not all be treated the same way. Ergonomics, sharps, owner elections, and multiple offices should be reviewed.
Explore dental offices workers' comp →Chiropractic offices
Practices may include hands-on treatment, therapy, massage, imaging, and clerical staff. The policy should reflect actual duties, employee status, ownership, and any operations outside the office.
Explore chiropractic offices workers' comp →Mental-health practices
An office-based counseling practice differs from a provider offering home visits, residential programs, or field work. Employee-versus-contractor status, remote workers, other-state employees, and owner treatment should be confirmed.
Explore mental-health practices workers' comp →Property and real estate
Property management companies
Clerical staff, leasing employees, outside managers, maintenance technicians, and resident managers. The policy needs to reflect where employees work, which properties they serve, and whether the company operates across state lines.
Explore property management companies workers' comp →Apartment and rental-property operations
Leasing, onsite management, maintenance, cleaning, and resident employees. Payroll, housing provided as compensation, outsourced contractors, and the owner-versus-third-party-management boundary should be reviewed.
Commercial building owners and operators
Managers, engineers, maintenance workers, cleaners, security, or office staff. Distinguish employees from contracted services and account for properties, payroll, and work in other states.
Self-storage facilities
Office management, outside property work, maintenance, resident managers, moving supplies, and multiple locations. Reflect actual employee duties and any work beyond normal facility operations.
Real estate brokerages
Identify employees, independent contractors, clerical staff, and property managers. Remote employees, other-state workers, owner treatment, and any property-service operations can change the review.
Explore real estate brokerages workers' comp →Home inspection companies
Field work, driving, ladders, crawlspaces, roofs, and report preparation. Employee-versus-contractor status, other-state work, and specialty inspections should be documented clearly.
Explore home inspection companies workers' comp →Food and hospitality
Restaurants
Workers' comp depends on the service model, kitchen operations, payroll, delivery, catering, alcohol exposure, locations, and duties. A useful review checks the policy before the year-end audit turns unclear operations into a surprise bill.
Explore restaurants workers' comp →Fast-food restaurants
Young workers, kitchen employees, counter service, drive-through, delivery, and multiple locations. Burns, cuts, slips, turnover, payroll reporting, and return-to-work planning deserve specific attention.
Explore fast-food restaurants workers' comp →Coffee shops and cafés
From beverage service to full food preparation, baking, catering, roasting, and delivery. Reflect the actual operation, duties, payroll by location, and any production or wholesale work.
Explore coffee shops and cafés workers' comp →Bakeries
A retail bakery, café bakery, wholesale bakery, and route-delivery operation do not present the same questions. Production, retail, delivery, ovens, lifting, and multiple locations should be reviewed.
Explore bakeries workers' comp →Hotels and motels
Housekeeping, maintenance, front-desk, food-service, shuttle, management, and event employees. Departmental payroll, duties, multiple locations, and any restaurant or recreational operation need to be identified.
Retail and wholesale
Grocery stores
Retail clerks, stocking, meat, deli, bakery, delivery, fuel, management, and warehouse operations. Departmental duties, lifting, slips, cuts, payroll, and multiple locations can affect classification and audits.
Convenience stores
Retail, food preparation, fuel, stocking, late hours, and multiple locations. Duties, robbery controls, payroll, delivery, and the presence of fuel or other operations affect appetite.
General retail stores
The product sold matters. Operations may include stocking, warehouse work, delivery, installation, and seasonal employees. Reflect the actual store rather than a general retail description alone.
Wholesale distributors
Office work, warehouse employees, drivers, delivery, product installation, and light assembly. Products handled, lifting, payroll separation, fleet, and installation work can affect the program.
Cleaning and facility services
Janitorial companies
Commercial janitorial differs from residential, industrial, restoration, and specialized exterior work. Locations, driving, chemicals, equipment, contracts, payroll, and after-hours work should be reviewed.
Pest-control companies
Driving, ladders, crawlspaces, chemicals, fumigation, wildlife, and specialty treatments. Services, technician duties, licensing, payroll, and subcontracted work affect classification and market fit.
Residential cleaning companies
Cleaners work at changing locations and may travel all day. Employee status, driving, chemical use, payroll, client-property exposure, and any specialty cleaning should be documented.
Property maintenance companies
Light repairs, landscaping, cleaning, painting, carpentry, snow work, or a mix of trades. There is no single classification for every maintenance company, so duties and payroll need review operation by operation.
Auto and consumer services
Auto repair shops
Mechanics, service writers, parts employees, drivers, and clerical staff. Test driving, towing, body work, tire service, mobile repair, and other operations can affect the classifications and carrier fit.
Explore auto repair shops workers' comp →Appliance installation and repair businesses
Repair, delivery, installation, retail, and warehouse work. Driving, lifting, connecting utilities, duties, subcontractors, and payroll by operation should be reviewed.
Auto-parts stores
Retail stores, wholesale distributors, delivery services, warehouses, or installers. Counter staff, warehouse employees, drivers, installation work, and payroll separation can change the policy.
Professional services
Accounting and bookkeeping firms
Mostly office-based, but owners, clerical employees, remote workers, onsite client work, and employees in other states still need correct handling. Employee-versus-contractor status should be confirmed.
Explore accounting and bookkeeping firms workers' comp →Law firms
Attorneys, clerical staff, investigators, messengers, and remote employees. Partner treatment, employees in other states, field duties, and any work outside normal office operations should be reviewed.
Explore law firms workers' comp →IT consulting and managed-service firms
Office-based or sending technicians to client sites for installation, cabling, and support. Remote employees, other-state workers, owners, subcontractors, and the consulting-versus-field line matter.
Explore it consulting and managed-service firms workers' comp →Architecture and engineering firms
Office work, field observations, surveying, testing, inspections, and travel. Distinguish professional-office employees from field duties and account for remote or multistate employees.
Explore architecture and engineering firms workers' comp →Education and childcare
Childcare centers and preschools
Employees lift children, supervise playgrounds, prepare food, clean facilities, and manage illness exposure. Owners, clerical staff, transportation, multiple locations, and services outside the normal program should be addressed.
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Tell us what your employees actually do.
The business name gets the conversation started. The work, payroll, ownership, claims, and locations determine how the policy should be built. Start with the normal workers' compensation form and we will help you sort through it.