Class Code 8831
Hospitals – Veterinary; Kennels
Class Code 8831 applies to California veterinary hospitals and kennels — operations that provide medical treatment, boarding, and daily animal care. This classification covers patient-care and kennel staff who work directly with animals and animal waste. The approved pure premium rate effective Sept 1, 2026 is $1.499 per $100 of payroll, a base measure used to estimate workers' compensation cost for these high-contact workplaces.
What Class Code 8831 Covers
This classification is for facilities that provide veterinary medical services (surgery, diagnostics, anesthesia, dental work, pharmacy) and for boarding/kennel operations where animals are housed, exercised, fed, and cleaned. Work includes hands-on animal restraint and handling, medication and vaccine administration, surgical and post-operative care, radiology and lab sample handling, euthanasia and controlled-drug management, plus routine kennel sanitation and facility maintenance. It covers both routine outpatient veterinary clinics that perform inpatient care and standalone kennels that provide daily animal care and boarding services. Grooming-only shops and mobile groomers are generally classified separately unless their payroll is pooled into a veterinary hospital operation.
Who It Applies To
- Small and large animal veterinary hospitals and clinics that perform surgeries and diagnostics
- Boarding kennels and pet kennels providing overnight or extended animal care
- Emergency and specialty veterinary hospitals with overnight nursing and surgical teams
- Veterinary technicians, assistants, surgical technicians, and kennel attendants
- Animal handlers and patient-care staff who restrain, medicate, or clean animal patients
Common Job Duties
- Restraining and handling animals for exams, procedures, and boarding
- Administering medications, injections, vaccines, and IV fluids
- Assisting in surgery and monitoring anesthesia and post-operative recovery
- Cleaning and disinfecting cages, kennels, exam rooms, and surgical suites
- Collecting and handling blood, urine, fecal and other diagnostic specimens
- Lifting and moving animals and animal-related equipment; use of lifting aids
- Managing controlled substances, sharps disposal, and hazardous drug waste
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $1.499 Rate
The pure premium rate of $1.499 per $100 of payroll is the WCIRB-approved base cost for expected claim payments for this class. Insurers multiply that rate by your payroll to calculate the pure premium, then apply experience mod, policy-level adjustments, state assessments, and any credits or debits to determine the final premium you pay. Factors that change your actual cost include your claims history, payroll mix across classifications, loss control practices, and whether you qualify for group or deductible programs.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA requirements commonly applicable to veterinary hospitals and kennels include a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP, Title 8 Section 3203), Hazard Communication (SDS management and employee training), Respiratory Protection if anesthetic gases or aerosolized agents are present, and the Bloodborne Pathogens standard where employees face exposures to human blood or similar risks. Employers must provide appropriate PPE, training on safe animal handling and sharps, controls for hazardous drugs and anesthetic scavenging, and maintain accurate injury and illness records.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 8831
A PEO like Key HR helps veterinary and kennel employers by centralizing workers' comp administration, managing claims and return-to-work programs, and delivering industry-specific loss control services (restraint training, ergonomics, vaccination programs, and hazardous drug handling procedures). Key HR also provides payroll accuracy, OSHA recordkeeping support, and access to carriers and programs that can lower premium through better underwriting, safety credits, and coordinated risk management.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class Code 8831 include groomers who work in a veterinary hospital?
If grooming is performed as part of the veterinary hospital/kennel operation and payroll is reported under the hospital business, those wages are typically included in 8831. Standalone grooming shops and mobile groomers generally use different class codes. Always confirm payroll reporting with Key HR to avoid misclassification.
What practical steps reduce workers' comp claims and premiums for my kennel or hospital?
Implement a written IIPP, provide animal-handling and bite-avoidance training, use mechanical lifts and team-lift procedures for heavy animals, enforce sharps and hazardous drug protocols, maintain vaccination programs (e.g., rabies awareness), document return-to-work options, and keep detailed incident records to lower frequency and severity of claims.
Which employee trainings are required or recommended under Cal/OSHA for this work?
Required elements include IIPP training and Hazard Communication for chemicals. Where applicable, provide Bloodborne Pathogens training, respiratory protection training for scavenging/anesthetic use, PPE training, and job-specific animal restraint and sharps-handling instruction. Key HR can help develop and deliver these trainings.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 8831
- Classification
- Hospitals – Veterinary; Kennels
- Pure Premium Rate
- $1.499 / $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 8831?
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