Short answer: Yes. District private employers with one or more employees must carry workers' compensation insurance or obtain Office of Workers' Compensation approval to self-insure. Homeowners must cover domestic workers who reach 240 hours in a calendar quarter. Employers have ten working days to file the first injury report or face a civil penalty up to $1,000.
Private employers with one or more employees
The OWC FAQs answer the coverage question directly: employers with one or more employees must have workers' compensation insurance. Self-insurance is allowed only with Office approval. D.C. Code § 32-1503 addresses when employment is covered, including work principally localized in the District.
District government employees use a separate public-sector program through the Office of Risk Management, not the private-sector OWC process described here.
Domestic workers
Homeowners in DC must have workers' compensation insurance for domestic workers if one or more domestic workers are employed for 240 hours or more during any calendar quarter in the same or previous year. That hour test catches regular household help that casual, short-term arrangements may miss.
Reporting duties and benefits snapshot
Upon knowledge of a job-related injury, the employer must file DCWC Form 8 (Employer's First Report of Injury or Occupational Disease) as soon as possible, and no later than ten working days. Failure to file can bring a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000.
Injured private-sector workers generally receive two-thirds of average weekly wage plus medical expenses based on 113% of Medicare reimbursement amounts, subject to published maximum and minimum compensation rates on the DOES website. Workers may choose their own physician; changing treating physicians later needs insurer or OWC approval.
Employees must promptly report injuries on Form 7 within thirty days and file a written claim on Form 7a within one year of the injury or the last payment of benefits to preserve rights under the law.
Special/Second Injury Fund
OWC administers a Special/Second Injury Fund that can provide benefits in cases of uninsured employers or when an injury combines with a pre-existing disability to cause a substantially greater disability. That fund is a backstop for workers—not permission for employers to skip coverage.
Where to file and get help
OWC is at 4058 Minnesota Avenue, N.E., Third Floor, Washington, DC 20019, phone (202) 671-1000. Hours listed in the FAQ are Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Friday 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Disputed claims can go to an informal conference with a claims examiner or to a formal hearing at the Administrative Hearings Division on the fourth floor of the same building.
Public-sector versus private-sector paths
District government employees who are injured at work use the public-sector workers' compensation program at the Office of Risk Management, (202) 727-8600—not the private-sector OWC forms described above. Private employers should not send employees to ORM paperwork; use DCWC Forms 7, 7a and 8 as the FAQ directs.
Benefit rates and physician choice in practice
Compensation at two-thirds of average weekly wage is subject to maximum and minimum rates that DOES publishes and updates. Check the current table when estimating exposure for a claim. Physician choice belongs to the employee, but once a treating physician is selected, changing doctors requires insurer or OWC approval—so the first choice matters. Employers should give injured workers the required forms and brochure promptly rather than steering care in a way that conflicts with that rule.
Uninsured-employer claims and the Fund
When a private employer has no coverage, injured workers may still find a path through OWC processes and, in some cases, the Special/Second Injury Fund. That safety net for workers is paired with employer penalties and monitoring. For owners, the compliance move remains the same: bind a policy or obtain self-insurance authority before the first employee starts.
Notice of compliance and workplace posting
Employers should post the Office of Workers' Compensation notice of compliance where employees can see it and keep insurance certificates current for audits. A policy that exists only in a broker's email thread is not enough when DOES asks for proof or when a worker is hurt on day two of a new hire.
Bottom line
In the District, the first employee triggers workers' compensation, and regular domestic help can too. Buy a policy or get self-insurance approval before work begins. See our workers' compensation insurance overview.
Questions? Contact Alishahi Insurance or call (877) 711-4545. See insurance in Washington, DC.
Frequently asked questions
Is workers' comp required in Washington, DC?
Yes. Private employers with one or more employees must carry workers' compensation insurance or be approved to self-insure.
Do DC homeowners need workers' comp for domestic workers?
Yes if one or more domestic workers are employed 240 hours or more in any calendar quarter in the same or previous year.
How soon must a DC employer report a work injury?
As soon as possible after knowledge, and no later than ten working days, on Form 8.
What is the penalty for a late DC employer injury report?
A civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for failure to file Form 8 on time.
Can DC employees choose their own doctor for a workers' comp injury?
Yes. After an employer-directed emergency visit, the worker may still choose a treating physician.
Alishahi Insurance · 439 N Canon Dr, Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 · (877) 711-4545 · CA License #4348151. General information only. This isn't legal, tax or financial advice or a coverage determination. Coverage depends on policy language and underwriting, and rules vary by state.