Handyperson Repair Services

Spring is a great time to catch up on small repair projects around the house and sometimes handypersons are hired to help tackle these jobs. The WCIRB frequently receives questions regarding the classifications applicable to employers that perform a variety of minor “handyperson” repair services at residential or commercial locations. Historically these operations, provided they do not require a contractor’s license, have been assigned by analogy to Classification 9015(1), Building Operation – N.O.C., based on the similarity of these operations with maintenance operations that are performed by property management employers.

Effective January 1, 2017, the California Workers’ Compensation Uniform Statistical Reporting Plan—1995, Section IV, Special Industry Classification Procedures, Rule 2, Construction or Erection Work, was amended to specify the classification assignment procedure for operations at a job or location that are limited to minor property repairs for other concerns on a fee basis for which no contractor’s license is required. Rule 2 states, in part:

These operations are also addressed in a footnote to Classification 9015(1):

When a contractor’s license from the California Contractors State License Board is required, Classification 9015(1) does not apply. The applicable classifications are the Construction and Erection Classifications shown in Appendix I of the California Workers’ Compensation Uniform Statistical Reporting Plan—1995, depending on the type of work performed. As these are construction and erection classifications, the special procedures for those classifications are applicable and can be found in Part 3, Standard Classification System, Section IV, Special Industry Classification Procedures, Rule 2, Construction or Erection.