Who is excluded from workers' compensation coverage?

The correct answer indicates that household or casual workers earning less than a specified threshold in a given period are excluded from workers' compensation coverage. This provision exists because workers' compensation laws often distinguish between employees and casual or short-term workers.

Household or casual workers are typically individuals engaged in non-business activities, such as a gardener or a babysitter, who are not employed in a formal capacity. If their earnings fall below the established monetary threshold (in this case, less than 750 within any three-month period), they generally do not qualify for the protections offered by workers’ compensation, since their work is deemed irregular and not part of a regular employment arrangement.

This understanding is rooted in the idea that workers' compensation systems are designed to protect individuals in ongoing employment relationships where there is a stronger expectation of job-related risks and liabilities. Therefore, the exclusion of these workers is aligned with the intent of the law to cover those who are more at risk in a traditional employer-employee context.

In contrast, full-time employees earning above the threshold, part-time employees with multiple jobs, and independent contractors may have different considerations under the law regarding their coverage eligibility, which is why they do not fit within the criteria set for exclusion in the specifics of this question.