Class Code 8811
Libraries – Private – Professional Employees
Class Code 8811 covers professional employees working in private libraries — librarians, catalogers, archivists and other white‑collar library professionals. This classification reflects low-frequency, office‑style exposures; the September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate is $0.214 per $100 of payroll. Understanding this code helps California library employers keep payroll classified correctly and manage workers' comp costs.
What Class Code 8811 Covers
This classification is for professional-level staff in private libraries whose duties are primarily intellectual, technical and administrative rather than physical labor. It includes work such as reference services, cataloging and metadata creation, digital collection management, archival processing, research assistance and instructional programming. The code applies to employees who perform desk work, research, policy development, collection development and remote services — not to library maintenance, custodial, security or clerical staff who load/unload materials (those are coded separately). It also covers in‑house archivists handling preservation tasks that are professional in nature, but excludes heavy physical conservation work requiring specialized trades.
Who It Applies To
- Reference librarians and public service librarians at private or membership libraries
- Catalogers, metadata specialists and serials librarians
- Archivists and digital preservation professionals in private collections
- Library directors, collection development officers and grant writers
- Research librarians in law, corporate or private institutional libraries
Common Job Duties
- Providing reference and research support at desks, by phone and online
- Cataloging, metadata entry, indexing and database maintenance
- Processing digital collections, scanning, and archival description
- Developing collections, acquisitions and donor relations
- Teaching information literacy or conducting library instruction sessions
- Managing circulation policies, interlibrary loan coordination and recordkeeping
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $0.214 Rate
The pure premium rate of $0.214 per $100 of payroll is the base cost actuaries assign to expected claim costs for this classification. To estimate pure premium, divide total payroll by 100 and multiply by 0.214 (for example, $100,000 payroll = 1,000 x $0.214 = $214 pure premium). The final premium employers pay is adjusted by their experience modification, insurer expense loads, state assessments, any deductible or retrospective rating programs and the accuracy of payroll reporting and class code assignment.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
California employers of library professionals must maintain an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and provide training on ergonomics, ladder/step stool safety and emergency procedures. When staff handle dusty, moldy or chemically treated archival materials, appropriate respiratory protection, dust control and training per Cal/OSHA respiratory and hazardous materials guidance may be required. Employers must also keep accurate OSHA injury and illness records, provide first aid access, and maintain safe walking-working surfaces and electrical safety for computer equipment.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 8811
A PEO like Key HR helps library employers ensure correct classification, centralized payroll reporting and consistent workers' comp claims handling to protect experience modification. We provide ergonomics assessments, ladder and manual handling training, return-to-work programs, and coordinated OSHA recordkeeping and IIPP support — all of which reduce claim frequency and control insurance costs for Class Code 8811 employers.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class Code 8811 cover library aides and custodians?
No. 8811 is for professional employees performing primarily intellectual or technical library work. Library aides, clerical staff, custodians, security officers and heavy manual handlers belong to different class codes based on their duties.
How can we lower workers' comp costs for our private library?
Focus on injury prevention: ergonomic workstations, safe lifting and step ladder procedures, proper handling of dusty or moldy materials, timely reporting of injuries and early return-to-work plans. Accurate payroll reporting and working with a PEO to manage claims and corrections to class codes also help lower costs.
Are archivists who perform hands‑on conservation included in 8811?
Archivists doing professional description, accessioning and digital processing are generally in 8811, but employees performing specialized conservation treatments that involve chemicals, heavy physical work or trade skills may need a different classification reflecting higher physical or chemical exposures.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 8811
- Classification
- Libraries – Private – Professional Employees
- Pure Premium Rate
- $0.214 / $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 8811?
Key HR provides California employers with pay-as-you-go workers' comp, HR compliance support, and payroll — all through one PEO partnership.