Class Code 8829
Skilled Nursing Facilities; Convalescent Nursing Facilities
Class Code 8829 covers skilled nursing and convalescent nursing facilities in California, where licensed and unlicensed staff provide medical, rehabilitative and custodial care to residents. The approved pure premium rate for Sept 1, 2026 is $2.830 per $100 of payroll — an important benchmark when budgeting workers' compensation costs for these high-contact healthcare settings.
What Class Code 8829 Covers
This classification applies to facilities that deliver skilled nursing services: post-acute medical care, skilled nursing observation, IV therapy, wound care, medication administration and rehabilitative therapies performed on-site. It includes both long-term care residents and short-term subacute/rehab patients receiving clinical nursing services beyond basic board-and-care. Work covered ranges from hands-on patient care (CNAs, RNs, LPNs) to support roles that operate inside the clinical environment (housekeeping, dietary staff who enter patient rooms, maintenance that services medical equipment). Activities such as lifting and transferring residents, administering injections/IVs, wound dressing changes, clinical charting, and transporting residents within the facility are core operations captured by 8829.
Who It Applies To
- Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and convalescent nursing homes
- Long-term care centers providing licensed nursing services
- Subacute rehabilitation units and short-term post-acute care centers
- Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPN/LVNs) on staff
- Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), medication aides and direct-care staff
- On-site support staff who work in clinical areas (housekeeping, dietary, maintenance, therapists)
Common Job Duties
- Assisting residents with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding)
- Manual and mechanical patient transfers and use of lift equipment
- Administering medications, injections, IV therapy and monitoring vitals
- Wound care, catheter/ostomy care and other clinical procedures
- Charting, care planning and communication with physicians and families
- Cleaning and disinfecting resident rooms and medical equipment
- Transporting residents within the facility and accompanying to therapy
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $2.830 Rate
The pure premium rate of $2.830 per $100 of payroll represents the carrier’s estimated cost of claims per $100 of payroll for this class — essentially the expected loss component. Your actual workers' compensation premium is calculated by applying this rate to your reported payroll for payroll items coded to 8829 and then adjusting for your employer experience modification, insurer loss cost multiplier, policy deductibles, state assessments and any schedule or class rating adjustments. Controlling frequency and severity of claims, accurate payroll classification, and safety programs are the primary levers to reduce what you ultimately pay.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Several Cal/OSHA standards directly apply to skilled nursing operations: the Injury and Illness Prevention Program requirement (Title 8, Section 3203), the Bloodborne Pathogens standard (Section 5193), the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard for healthcare (Section 5199), Hazard Communication (Section 5194) and the Respiratory Protection standard (Section 5144). Employers must maintain written exposure control plans, provide training and vaccination/screening programs (e.g., TB screening, influenza guidance), train on safe patient handling, and keep accurate injury/illness records and reports to Cal/OSHA as required.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 8829
A PEO like Key HR can manage workers' comp costs for 8829 exposures by centralizing claims handling and nurse case management, implementing proven safe-patient-handling and return-to-work programs, and delivering mandatory Cal/OSHA training and exposure control plan support. Key HR can also help ensure accurate payroll reporting and classification, monitor your experience modification, and leverage group buying and loss-control resources to lower premium volatility and improve staff safety.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class Code 8829 include assisted living or residential care homes?
No. Class Code 8829 is specific to skilled and convalescent nursing facilities that provide licensed nursing and clinical services. Assisted living or residential care settings that do not deliver skilled nursing are typically classified under different workers' comp codes; accurate classification depends on the level of medical care provided on-site.
Are agency or travel nurses assigned to an SNF coded under 8829?
If agency or travel nurses are performing duties on-site at the skilled nursing facility, their payroll while working at that site is generally coded to the facility’s class of work (8829). Proper payroll reporting and vendor agreements are essential to ensure claims and premiums are assigned correctly.
What practical steps reduce workers' comp costs for a skilled nursing facility?
Focus on reducing claim frequency and severity: implement a safe patient handling program (mechanical lifts and training), enforce bloodborne pathogen and sharps safety protocols, provide routine immunizations and screening, train staff on de-escalation and fall prevention, document return-to-work opportunities, and audit payroll classification accuracy. Consistent claims management and early intervention are key to lowering experience modification and premiums.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 8829
- Classification
- Skilled Nursing Facilities; Convalescent Nursing Facilities
- Pure Premium Rate
- $2.830 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
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