Does a “C-10” need Worker’s Comp if he hires a contract ‘installer’? CA offers a ‘family waiver’ but what about Arizona or Nevada? John Lennon is credited with saying ‘life happens while you’re making plans’, and our first contractor is discovering that. The government bureaucracy isn’t required to keep your address up to date, you are. Failing to do so can have some serious consequences…
Q: I noticed this morning that my license has expired. We have jobs going right now under contract with this license. Since we did not receive this renewal in the mail, I asked our Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) to contact you so we could get a copy of the renewal application and hopefully get it posted before it expires. He assured me he had a plan to overnight it to you and you would run it over to CSLB in time. Looks like it didn’t happen. Do I need to stop all work under contract until this gets fixed?
A: We talked with the RMO regarding this issue; however, the renewal was not sent through our office. We picked up a copy of the renewal application at the CSLB and emailed it to your Qualifier. He called a few days ago to say that the renewal was inadvertently sent overnight directly to the CSLB (and he did not retain a copy). Since, we did not have a chance to review the document before submission, I cannot say if all items were correct. Unfortunately, since the license now shows “expired”, you technically should stop all work until the license is back in good standing. Assuming there are no problems with the renewal (i.e. proper signatures/fees, corporate status), it should be processed soon. If there is an issue, the CSLB will reject the application, send a letter detailing the problem, and require payment of a delinquent fee.
Q: I was wondering if I could get an answer to a question about Worker’s Compensation. If a “C-10” license holder hires an installation company to come in and do a particular job, and that company does not have a license, is it the responsibility of the “C-10” license holder to provide Worker’s Compensation Insurance? Or is it the responsibility of the unlicensed company to carry it? Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing back from you.
A: Generally speaking, if you hire someone it’s ultimately your responsibility to make sure they’re covered by Worker’s Compensation. If they are covered through another licensed contractor, this is fine. However, since UNLICENSED “contractors’ rarely cover their employees, if someone gets hurt, they’re probably going to come after your insurance.
Q: My father recently retired and I was able to replace him on our CA license with a waiver of the exams. I have worked for the company for over 15 years. We need to do this same process for our Nevada and Arizona licenses; can you help with that?
A: We would be happy to help you with the application process in Nevada (NV) and Arizona (AZ); however, while CA allows individuals who are a close family member (son, daughter, spouse, etc.) to waive the exams, NV and AZ aren’t as generous with granting these waivers. The only way either State will grant a waiver is if you’ve been listed as the Qualifier on a NV or AZ license within the last 5 years, or if you have been licensed for at least 5 years and have passed an equivalent exam in CA or UT. In other words, these states do not have a “family waiver” option.