Changes Coming to Dual-Wage Class Codes
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has approved all of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s recommended changes to the wage thresholds for construction industry dual classifications for policies incepting on or after Sept. 1.
The thresholds separate high- and low-wage earners in 16 dual-wage construction classes because higher wage workers in these class codes have historically had drastically fewer and less costly claims than their lower-paid counterparts.
Rates for lower-wage workers can sometimes be twice as high as the rates for higher-wage workers.
Here are the new thresholds:
| Classification | Current Threshold | Threshold Starting 9/1 |
|---|---|---|
| 5207/5028 – Masonry | $35 | $37 |
| 5190/5140 – Electrical Wiring | $36 | $40 |
| 5183/5187 – Plumbing | $32 | $35 |
| 5185/5186 – Automatic Sprinkler Installation | $33 | $36 |
| 5201/5205 – Concrete or Cement Work | $33 | $36 |
| 5403/5432 – Carpentry | $41 | $46 |
| 5446/5447 – Wallboard Installation | $41 | $45 |
| 5467/5470 – Glaziers | $39 | $43 |
| 5474/5482 – Painting/Waterproofing | $32 | $36 |
| 5484/5485 – Plastering or Stucco Work | $38 | $42 |
| 5538/5542 – Sheet Metal Work | $33 | $37 |
| 5552/5553 – Roofing | $31 | $33 |
| 5632/5633 – Steel Framing | $41 | $46 |
| 6218/6220 – Excavation/Grading/Land Leveling | $40 | $45 |
| 6307/6308 – Sewer Construction | $40 | $45 |
| 6315/6316 – Water/Gas Mains | $40 | $45 |