The Florida workers’ compensation class code of 0005 is the primary class code used by landscapers that also have nursery operations. More and more landscaping businesses are creating nursery divisions to increase revenues and profit margins on installation projects and this introduces a new class code to their Florida workers’ compensation policies. We receive many questions from landscapers that operate tree nurseries regarding which employees should be classified to this code under their Florida workers’ compensation policy. The definition of the class code from NCCI states that 0005 is used primarily for employees involved in the following operations:

Code 0005 is applied to all acreage or facilities devoted to the propagation of trees, shrubs, plants. It Includes all acreage or facilities devoted to the raising and harvesting of nursery and foliage plants in more than fifteen (15) gallon containers or in the ground. Refer to Code 0035 for the raising and harvesting of such plants in fifteen (15) gallon or smaller containers. Codes 0005 and 0035 shall not be assigned to the same risk unless the operations described by these classifications are conducted at separate locations with no interchange in labor.

Code 0005 operations involve planting, fertilizing, watering, trimming, potting and repotting plants, and transplanting at the nursery location. The classification includes retail or wholesale sales conducted from the nursery location. Additionally, these insureds may deliver their products to customers and also plant these products at their customers’ location(s).

When planting operations are more than incidental to an insured’s nursery operation, Code 0042—Landscape Gardening & Drivers is applicable to the planting operations

Refer to Code 0106 for tree maintenance and Code 2702 or Code 2709 for tree harvesting performed by contractors not involved with the original planting.

Sod dealers who do not grow sod are properly classified to Code 0005; however, sod growing and harvesting operations are included under Code 0037. Sod installers are classified to Code 0042.

Please feel free to contact us for a free copy of the complete definition for Florida workers’ compensation class code 0005 or any other classification that could apply to your landscaping business. We can also provide workers’ compensation quotes with the current rates for this classification code.

The Agent Articles section of BearWiseLandscapers.com allows our insurance agents to provide practical information for landscapers. These agents can also obtain quotes and establish a custom insurance program for your landscaping business through our access to a variety of insurance carriers. This agent article is filed under 4 Workers' Compensation, and you can follow comments to it through the RSS 2.0 feed. Feel free to leave your own response below: