Class Code 8008
Stores – Clothing, Shoes, Linens Or Fabric Products – Retail
Class Code 8008 applies to California retail stores that sell clothing, shoes, linens or other fabric products. It covers the typical storefront, sales and stockroom operations you see in boutiques, shoe shops, and linen/home textile stores. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate is $2.633 per $100 of payroll.
What Class Code 8008 Covers
This classification is for retail operations where the primary business is selling apparel, footwear, linens, bedding, curtains, fabric by the yard and related home textile products directly to consumers. Covered employees include sales associates, cashiers, stock clerks, visual merchandisers, fitting-room attendants and in-store alteration or repair workers when those duties are part of the regular retail operation. Work on the sales floor, point-of-sale transactions, folding and merchandising merchandise, handling customer returns, and light in-store shipping from the retail location are included. Large-scale warehouse distribution, third-party fulfillment centers, commercial laundry services, or manufacturing of garments are typically classified under different codes and should not be reported to 8008.
Who It Applies To
- Independent clothing boutiques and specialty apparel shops
- Shoe stores and footwear retailers
- Stores selling linens, bedding, curtains and home textiles
- Department store apparel departments operating as retail outlets
- Retail outlets with in-store alteration or tailoring services
- Brick-and-mortar retailers that ship online orders from the store (small-scale)
Common Job Duties
- Assisting customers on the sales floor and in fitting rooms
- Operating cash registers, handling payments and returns
- Receiving, unpacking, folding and stocking merchandise
- Visual merchandising, window displays and price tagging
- Performing minor sewing/alterations or repairs in-store
- Inventory counts, cycle counts and light order fulfillment
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $2.633 Rate
The pure premium rate of $2.633 per $100 of payroll represents the projected cost of workers' compensation losses for this class before insurer loadings and state assessments. Insurers multiply that rate by your reported payroll for employees assigned to 8008 to calculate the base premium; final premium is adjusted by your experience modification, insurer expenses, policy deductibles, credits, and any state assessments or fees.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
California employers must maintain an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) under Cal/OSHA Title 8 §3203 and provide hazard communication training for cleaning chemicals under §5194. Retailers should document training on safe lifting, ladder use, fitting-room procedures, cash-handling safety, and workplace violence prevention as part of their IIPP. Training must be provided in a language the employee understands and records of training should be retained.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 8008
A PEO like Key HR helps retailers through classification audits to ensure payroll is correctly assigned, claims management and return-to-work programs that limit indemnity costs, and standardized safety programs tailored to retail operations. Key HR can also provide access to preferred provider networks, on-demand safety training, loss-control consulting, and pooled purchasing power that may lower overall workers' comp costs.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class Code 8008 cover in-store alterations or a tailor employed by the shop?
Yes — in-store alteration or tailoring performed as part of the retail operation (small repairs, hemming, minor adjustments) is typically included in 8008. If alterations are a separate commercial tailoring business or significant sewing/manufacturing is performed, a different class code may apply.
If I sell online but ship from my retail store, should I use 8008?
If shipping is limited and handled from the same retail location as a supplemental activity, 8008 is usually appropriate. If you operate a dedicated warehouse or large-scale fulfillment center, those payrolls should be assigned to a warehouse/distribution class instead.
What practical steps can reduce my workers' comp costs under this class?
Maintain an active IIPP, train employees on safe lifting and ladder use, implement safe cash-handling and robbery prevention procedures, address ergonomic tasks at registers, and work with a PEO or insurer to expedite medical care and early return-to-work placements to reduce lost-time claims.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 8008
- Classification
- Stores – Clothing, Shoes, Linens Or Fabric Products – Retail
- Pure Premium Rate
- $2.633 / $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 8008?
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