New York roofing class codes are some of the more expensive rates that NY employers pay. Because roofing involves a high risk activity, its exposure is higher than other contracting classifications and rates.
New York Workers Comp Roofing Class Codes
The two main class codes for roofers in New York State are: 5545 and 5551. The payroll of workers with duties that fall under the work descriptions assigned to these codes must be reported correctly in order to ensure that you do not over or underpay your workers compensation insurance premiums.
Class Code 5551 – Roofing Application or Installation – All Kinds except Flat
Employees that install waterproof roofing materials such as slate, shingles or tile must be categorized within class code 5551. It doesn’t matter if they are working on a new construction project, removing tiles or offering repair work. All of these duties fall under this category. Additionally, clean-up work and other ground operations performed on site will be classified under 5551.
Certain exclusions apply to workers comp code 5551. If an employee is laying wood sheets on the roof, then they fall under the carpentry class code 5645. Workers who install metal flashing or gutters go under the sheet metal class code 5538. However, if a roofing worker installed waterproof underlayment such as treated paper or felt, their payroll should be reported under class code 5551.
Class Code 5545: Roofing – All Kinds
When a construction site involves dwellings or private garages with sloping roofs, employers in New York State must use class code 5545. It doesn’t matter the material used for the roof, paper, asphalt, tile, slate or metal, as long as the roof slope is more than 3/12, employee payroll must be reported in this category.
It is also important to note that both of these two rate codes do not apply to new construction projects where carpentry is involved for the construction of new dwellings. Instead, carpentry work falls under one of 3 different codes: 5403, 5645 or 5651.
To obtain the best worker comp roofing rates, construction companies with good loss histories will find better than standard pricing in New York.