Class Code 7607
Video Post-Production; Audio Post-Production
Class code 7607 covers video post-production and audio post-production work — editing, mixing, mastering, Foley and related studio services. The California pure premium rate for 7607 is $0.132 per $100 of payroll, a relatively low-loss classification that still carries distinct ergonomic, electrical, and noise hazards employers must manage.
What Class Code 7607 Covers
This classification applies to work performed after principal photography or recording: nonlinear video editing, color correction/grading, audio editing and mixing, Foley and sound effects creation, ADR/voiceover sessions, mastering and deliverable encoding, subtitling/closed-captioning, media ingestion/transcoding and quality control. It covers employees who perform those tasks in dedicated post facilities, in-house post departments, sound stages or remote editing suites and mobile post-production trucks. The class excludes on-set production crew such as camera operators, grips, gaffers and location sound recordists; those activities are classified under production and technical codes. Employers with mixed production and post-production operations should allocate payroll accurately between codes to avoid misclassification and premium surprises.
Who It Applies To
- Video editors and assistant editors working in NLE systems (Premiere, Final Cut, Avid)
- Audio engineers, mixers, mastering engineers and sound designers
- Colorists and grading technicians
- Foley artists, ADR/voice talent and studio technicians
- Post-production facilities, podcast production studios and subtitling/QA services
Common Job Duties
- Assembling footage, syncing audio, trimming and conforming timelines
- Color grading and applying LUTs and image processing
- Multitrack mixing, EQ, compression, noise reduction and mastering
- Recording ADR, Foley and voiceover sessions and setting up microphone placements
- Preparing, transcoding and delivering broadcast- or streaming-ready masters
- Managing media storage, backups, cable runs and occasional equipment rigging
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $0.132 Rate
The pure premium rate of $0.132 per $100 of payroll is the WCIRB-calculated cost of expected claim payments for this classification before insurer loads and adjustments. To estimate premium multiply total payroll by the rate (for example, $100,000 payroll = (100,000/100) x 0.132 = $132 pure premium). The actual policy premium will change based on insurer expense loads, your experience modification factor, class code splits, state assessments, audits and any group or PEO discounts.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA (Title 8) requirements commonly applicable to post-production include a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), noise exposure limits and hearing conservation when exposures meet action levels (typically around 85 dBA TWA), electrical safety orders for power distribution and lockout/tagout for servicing equipment, and Hazard Communication where solvents or cleaning agents are used. Employers must provide training, appropriate PPE, maintain good housekeeping to control cable hazards, and keep required injury/illness records and reports.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 7607
A PEO like Key HR can reduce administrative burden and workers' comp costs by ensuring correct class code assignment and payroll reporting, managing claims and return-to-work programs, and delivering targeted loss-control services such as ergonomics assessments, hearing conservation set-up, cable-management best practices, and studio safety training. Key HR's centralized claims advocacy, aggregated buying power and California compliance expertise help small and mid-size post facilities lower experience modifiers and stabilize premiums.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Are freelance or remote editors covered under class code 7607?
If editors are W-2 employees of your California business and perform post-production duties, they belong under 7607. Independent contractors are not covered by your workers' comp policy; misclassification risk can lead to audits and penalties. A PEO can help convert contractors to proper employee status and ensure correct reporting.
Does 7607 apply to camera operators or on-set sound crews?
No. 7607 is specific to post-production and studio audio work. On-set camera operators, grips, gaffers and location sound recordists are production activities and belong to other production class codes. Employers who operate both production and post should split payroll between the appropriate codes.
What practical steps reduce workers' comp claims for post-production staff?
Implement adjustable ergonomics (chairs, monitor arms, keyboard trays), scheduled micro-breaks, workstation assessments, active cable-management and housekeeping, hearing-conservation measures for loud mix sessions, preventive electrical maintenance, and a formal early-return-to-work program. Consistent training and timely injury reporting also lower loss severity and your experience modification.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 7607
- Classification
- Video Post-Production; Audio Post-Production
- Pure Premium Rate
- $0.132 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
Key HR provides pay-as-you-go workers' comp for California employers — no large deposits, no audits, better rates.
Get a Quoteor call (800) 922-4133Ready to Simplify Workers' Comp for Class Code 7607?
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