Is Workers' Compensation Coverage Required?
Unpaid and uncompensated volunteers doing charitable work for a nonprofit organization are not considered employees and do not have to be covered by a workers' compensation policy. Please note that compensation includes stipends, room and board, and other "perks" that have monetary value. (Stipends used solely to offset expenses incurred while performing activities for the nonprofit are not counted as stipends.)
For-profit business entities cannot have "volunteers" doing work for the business. These individuals are employees and must be covered.
Volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers are provided benefits for death or injuries suffered in the line of duty under the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law and Volunteer Ambulance Workers' Benefit Law.