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If I engage ONLY Contractors, do I need a workers compensation policy? 

Any person or company which operates a trade or business and engages contractors should obtain and maintain a workers compensation policy. Even if the trade or business does not employ "employees" and the contractors engaged appear not to be "deemed" workers under the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act, 1998, the trade or business still has a potential workers compensation liability. A contractor, or a contractor's worker, may be found by the court to be a worker, and the employer of the contractor would be liable to pay compensation.

A workers compensation policy operates to cover all workers and deemed workers whom the employer may engage. It is not necessary to arrange separate cover for contractors.

In the situation where a business does not engage workers or deemed workers, a minimum premium policy at a cost of $175 per annum is required. This is a small price for an assurance of coverage.

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