Minnesota Workers' Compensation: What you need to know

In Minnesota, virtually all employees must be covered by workers' compensation insurance. The only exceptions are the following types of workers:

• Casual workers not employed in the usual course of the employer's business

• Workers on family farms with an annual payroll of less than $8,000 (provided proprietor has a $300,000 liability insurance policy covering injuries to farm laborers)

• Employees of nonprofit organizations with an annual payroll of less than $1,000

• Employees of common carriers covered under federal law

• Household workers who earn less than $1,000 over a 3-month period from a single household

• Certain officers of closely held corporations and limited liability companies and their relatives

• Independent contractors

• Sole proprietors and their families

• Individuals covered under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (MN Stat. Sec. 176.011et seq.)

Workers' compensation is a "no-fault" system. Since it makes no difference who is at fault for the injury, employees need not prove that the employer's negligence caused it. To be compensable under workers' compensation, the injury need only arise "out of and in the course of employment."

There are a few key exceptions:

Willful self-injury. There is no compensation for injuries caused by the worker's willful intent to injure himself or herself.

Willful acts of others. There is no compensation for injuries intentionally caused by a fellow employee or third party for personal reasons.

Intoxication. There is no compensation for injuries caused by the employee's intoxication involving either alcohol or drugs.

Recreational activities. There is no compensation for injuries incurred during participation in off-duty ...