Class code 8810 is the workhorse of workers’ comp classification — clerical office employees. It’s also one of the cheapest codes on the books, which is exactly why auditors watch it: every business wants payroll in 8810, and not all of it belongs there.

Who falls under 8810

Employees whose duties are exclusively clerical and who work in an office area physically separated from the operational parts of the business: bookkeeping, data entry, administration, inside customer service without merchandise handling. The ‘physically separated’ and ‘exclusively clerical’ requirements are strict — a warehouse admin desk on the warehouse floor usually doesn’t qualify.

Common misclassification traps

The classic mistakes: putting owners or supervisors in 8810 when they regularly visit job sites or the shop floor; classifying counter staff who handle merchandise as clerical; and failing to keep verifiable payroll records that separate clerical hours from everything else. When records don’t support the split, auditors move the payroll to the governing class — at the governing class’s rate.

Rate context

8810 typically prices at pennies to around fifty cents per $100 of payroll depending on the state — often the lowest rate on a policy. That gap between 8810 and a governing class like carpentry or trucking is precisely why documentation matters: the savings are real when the split is real. See our guide to how premiums are calculated for the full mechanics.

Related codes

8871 (clerical telecommuter) for remote office staff; 8742 (outside sales) for salespeople who visit customers but don’t deliver or install; your industry’s governing code for everyone else.

Class code 8810 FAQs

What does class code 8810 cover?

Employees performing exclusively clerical duties in an office physically separated from operations — bookkeeping, administration, data entry, inside sales without merchandise handling.

What’s the biggest misclassification risk with 8810?

Payroll that doesn’t truly qualify — owners who visit job sites, counter staff who touch product, or clerical splits without verifiable records. Auditors reassign unsupported 8810 payroll to the governing class at the governing rate.

What does 8810 cost per $100 of payroll?

Typically pennies to roughly fifty cents per $100 of payroll depending on state — usually the cheapest code on the policy, which is why the audit trail behind it has to be clean.

Can one business use multiple class codes?

Usually, yes — most businesses have an office/clerical component (8810) alongside their governing class, and payroll can often be split when records support it. Done correctly, splitting payroll across codes is one of the most reliable premium reductions available. Done sloppily, it’s an audit dispute.

Not sure your operation is classified correctly? Misclassification runs both directions — some businesses overpay for years, others build audit bombs. Have us review your class codes, or browse the full class code guide.