Class Code 8031
Stores – Meat, Fish Or Poultry – Retail
Class code 8031 covers retail establishments that sell and prepare meat, fish, or poultry — from neighborhood butchers to seafood markets. The California pure premium rate for 8031 is $5.203 per $100 of payroll, a baseline for expected claim costs that every retailer needs to understand when budgeting for workers' compensation.
What Class Code 8031 Covers
This classification applies to retail stores where employees handle, trim, portion, package and sell meat, fish or poultry on premises. Typical operations include hand and power cutting (saws, grinders, slicers), deboning, wrapping and labeling portions, stocking refrigerated display cases, managing frozen storage, routine cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, and direct customer sales at a counter. The code is for retail-scale operations — not large industrial meatpacking or primary processing plants — and covers tasks performed by sales clerks, butchers, fishmongers and stock/cleaning staff within the retail storefront or attached walk-in coolers/freezers. It also includes in-store receiving and short on-site deliveries operated by the store.
Who It Applies To
- Independent butcher shop employees and owners
- Seafood market staff and fishmongers
- Grocery store meat department clerks and cutters
- Specialty poultry retailers and portioning staff
- Store stockers, cleaning crews, and walk-in cooler attendants
Common Job Duties
- Hand cutting, trimming and deboning using knives and cleavers
- Operating powered equipment: band saws, meat grinders, slicers and mixers
- Portioning, wrapping, weighing and labeling retail packages
- Stocking refrigerated and frozen display cases and rotating inventory
- Sanitizing counters, equipment and drains with commercial cleaners
- Receiving deliveries, unloading boxes and short-distance store delivery
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $5.203 Rate
The approved pure premium of $5.203 per $100 of payroll represents the WCIRB’s estimate of future claim costs for this classification. Insurers multiply that pure premium by your payroll (divided by 100) then apply insurer expense loads, experience modification, policy credits/penalties, and any deductible or retrospective adjustments to calculate the final premium. Final cost is affected by accurate payroll reporting, claim frequency/severity, safety programs, and correct job classification.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
California employers must maintain an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and provide task-specific training—knife safety, machine guarding, safe use of grinders/saws, and cold-storage procedures. Comply with Cal/OSHA requirements for machine guarding and powered equipment, Hazard Communication for cleaning chemicals, respiratory/cold protection where needed, and bloodborne pathogen procedures if employee exposure to blood or open wounds is possible. Local health department food-safety rules intersect with workplace safety; coordinated compliance reduces both citations and claim risk.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 8031
A PEO like Key HR can centralize workers' comp coverage, ensure accurate payroll classification for code 8031, and implement targeted safety programs—knife handling, powered-equipment guarding, slip-resistant floor controls, and cold-stress protocols—to lower claim frequency. Key HR also handles claims administration, return-to-work coordination, and leverages pooled experience and loss-control consulting to reduce experience modification factors and overall comp costs for California retail meat, fish and poultry operators.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does class code 8031 include delivery drivers who take small store deliveries to customers?
Short in-town deliveries operated by the retail store (driver is an employee of the store) are typically included under 8031, but longer commercial distribution or third-party delivery operations may require a transportation code. Document regular duties and mileage to confirm correct classification.
Are part-time counter clerks and weekend help covered under this class code?
Yes. Any employee performing the covered retail meat/fish/poultry tasks—cutting, wrapping, stocking, cleaning or sales at the counter—should be payroll-classified to 8031 regardless of part-time status. Accurate payroll reporting by job is essential.
What practical steps reduce workers' comp costs for a small butcher shop?
Key actions include knife and equipment training, machine guarding maintenance, slip-and-spill controls, cold-stress and lifting ergonomics training, prompt first-aid and light-duty return-to-work plans, and consistent documentation. Participating in a PEO or safety program and keeping claims small and rare are the fastest ways to lower your experience modification and premiums.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 8031
- Classification
- Stores – Meat, Fish Or Poultry – Retail
- Pure Premium Rate
- $5.203 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
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