A restaurant is a minefield for workers’ compensation claims. In the kitchen alone, cooks, dishwashers, and other employees are particularly at risk for sustaining burn injuries from hot food or grease burns from pans or fryers. In a busy restaurant, wet or greasy floors are particularly hazardous. Consider all the boiling water, churning oil, and sharp blades that are part of a restaurant’s daily life. Employees in a hurry can easily slip and fall on a wet or greasy floor. If your restaurant isn’t covered with workers’ compensation insurance, one employee’s mishap can become a financial burden on the business.
Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about workers’ compensation insurance for restaurants:
Question: Do I have to have workers’ compensation insurance?
Answer: If you run your business in California, the answer is yes. Employing people is enough reason by law to buy workers’ compensation insurance – and this includes restaurants.
Question: Where do I find restaurant insurance to cover me for workers’ compensation?
Answer: Sutherland-Scherff Insurance Services can help you customize an insurance plan for your restaurant to ensure your restaurant is covered from all angles and customized for your business.
Question: What if I don’t believe an employee’s claims are valid?
Answer: You should discuss it with your insurance company and/or claims adjuster handling the claim.
Question: What can happen if I don’t opt for workers’ compensation insurance?
Answer: In California, this is a very serious offense, punishable by up to $100,000 in penalties. This is a good way of saying that it’s probably going to be a lot cheaper for a restaurant to purchase workers’ compensation insurance rather than avoiding it.
A restaurant is a business that relies on good employees. It’s important that you take care of these employees, especially in California, where it’s the law. So make sure you buy workers’ compensation insurance that adequately covers your workers – and keep serving great food!
Sutherland-Scherff have put together some Top Tips to highlight ways of managing Loss Control for operators of restaurants and food service establishments such as cafes, pizzerias, delis that cook and serve food. Download the Top Tips now
