Class Code 8871
Clerical Telecommuter Employees
Class Code 8871 applies to clerical telecommuter employees — office, administrative and data-entry staff who perform work from a remote or home office under employer direction. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate for California is $0.096 per $100 of payroll. Understanding this classification helps California employers correctly report payroll, manage exposures, and control workers' compensation costs for remote staff.
What Class Code 8871 Covers
This class covers employees who perform clerical, administrative, or data-processing duties away from the employer's physical workplace — typically in a home office or other remote location — where the employer controls the work tasks and schedule. Covered tasks include typing, phone support, email and electronic records management, bookkeeping, scheduling, transcription, and similar sedentary office functions performed offsite. It does not include employees who travel as a primary duty (outside normal commuting), who perform hands-on manual labor, or who operate heavy machinery; those workers belong to other class codes. The classification assumes typical telework ergonomics and low physical exposure, but it still recognizes work-related repetitive motion, slips/falls at the home workstation, and other remote-specific hazards.
Who It Applies To
- Remote administrative assistants, virtual receptionists and data-entry clerks
- Bookkeepers, payroll clerks and accounts payable/receivable staff working from home
- Customer service representatives handling calls and emails remotely
- Medical billers/coders and transcriptionists performing clerical tasks offsite
Common Job Duties
- Entering and maintaining electronic records, databases and spreadsheets
- Answering customer or client phone lines, chat and email support
- Preparing invoices, payroll entries and basic bookkeeping tasks
- Scheduling appointments and coordinating calendars
- Creating and editing documents, reports and correspondence
- Scanning, uploading and organizing digital files
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $0.096 Rate
The pure premium rate of $0.096 per $100 payroll is the WCIRB’s expected cost of claims before insurer adjustments. To calculate pure premium: divide payroll by 100 and multiply by 0.096 (for example, $50,000 payroll → 500 × $0.096 = $48 pure premium). Insurers then apply policy-level factors — such as expense loads, experience modification (X-mod), tiering, deductible programs, and state assessments — so the final premium can be higher or lower depending on your company's claims history, selected deductible, and insurer/PEO pricing.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
California employers remain responsible for a safe workplace even when employees work remotely; Title 8 §3203 (Injury and Illness Prevention Program) requires employers to evaluate hazards, provide training, and maintain procedures for reporting and investigating work-related injuries for telecommuters. Employers should document ergonomic assessments, enforce regular break schedules, and ensure reporting protocols so that work-related incidents at employees' homes are promptly investigated and recorded per Cal/OSHA and workers' compensation rules.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 8871
A PEO like Key HR helps ensure correct classification (reducing misclassification risk), centralizes payroll reporting, and administers claims to control frequency and cost. Key HR can provide telework-specific safety programs, remote ergonomic assessments, early return-to-work plans, and consolidated experience-mod monitoring — all of which reduce claim severity and improve your workers' comp profile for Class Code 8871.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Are telecommuters covered by California workers' compensation?
Yes. Employees who sustain work-related injuries while performing employer-directed tasks at a remote location are typically covered. Employers should have clear telework policies and reporting procedures to document that the activity was in the course and scope of employment.
How do I calculate premium for a remote clerical worker?
Use the class rate $0.096 per $100 payroll: (employee payroll ÷ 100) × 0.096 = pure premium. The insurer or PEO will then add expense loads, apply your experience modifier, and any policy adjustments to determine the final premium.
What steps reduce workers' comp exposure for telecommuters?
Implement an IIPP that covers remote work, require ergonomic self-assessments or employer-supplied equipment, train employees on breaks and safe home-office setup, and report and investigate incidents quickly. Partnering with a PEO for centralized claims management and return-to-work coordination also lowers cost and lost time.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 8871
- Classification
- Clerical Telecommuter Employees
- Pure Premium Rate
- $0.096 / $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 8871?
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