Federal law under 20 C.F.R. § 655.122(e) requires every H-2A employer in Florida to carry workers' compensation insurance — regardless of Florida's agricultural exemption. You must provide proof of coverage to the U.S. Department of Labor before your H-2A labor certification is issued. A missing or lapsed certificate can delay your entire harvest season.
Florida state law (§440.02) normally exempts agricultural employers with fewer than 6 regular employees or 12 seasonal workers from carrying workers' compensation. But the federal H-2A program overrides this exemption entirely. The moment you hire H-2A workers, you must carry workers' comp for all employees — H-2A and domestic workers alike. There are no exceptions under the H-2A program.
The most common class codes for Florida H-2A employers are: Code 0008 (vegetable farming — tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) at $2.506 per $100 payroll; Code 0016 (citrus orchards — oranges, grapefruit) at $3.595; Code 0005 (nursery and foliage operations) at $2.403; Code 0037 (field crops including strawberries) at $3.186; Code 0030 (sugar cane operations) at $2.791. The correct code depends on the primary work your employees perform.
Bright Coast Insurance specializes in H-2A workers' compensation for Florida agricultural employers. We bind coverage fast and issue the insurance certificate the same day — with the carrier name, policy number, and coverage period the DOL requires. We serve Immokalee, Belle Glade, Homestead, Plant City, Apopka, Clewiston, Wauchula, and all of Florida. Hablamos español.