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Determining Eligibility

Whether your company is eligible for experience rating is determined by a number of factors. To determine eligibility, payroll developed during the experience period is totaled by classification code. These totals are multiplied by the expected loss rate for each classification that applies as of the effective date of the experience modification. The sum of these calculations must equal or exceed the minimum eligibility threshold. (Prior to January 1, 2016, advisory pure premium rates were used instead of expected loss rates.)

Experience Rating Eligibility Thresholds 

Experience Rating Eligibility Thresholds
 

Example 1 – Does NOT Meet Eligibility Threshold

The eligibility threshold is adjusted annually to ensure the population of experience rated employers remains somewhat stable. The threshold can be found in Section III, Rule 1 of the California Workers' Compensation Experience Rating Plan—1995 (ERP). The expected loss rates can be found in Table 1 of the ERP and in the Filings and Plans section of this website.

In the table below, Employer 1 does not qualify for experience rating because the eligibility value ($6,683) is below the eligibility threshold of $10,200.

Experience Modification Effective: September 1, 2022

Classification
Code
2019
Payroll
2020
Payroll
2021
Payroll
Payroll
Total
Expected
Loss Rate
(per $100)
Eligibility
Value
8017 138,965 189,900 220,468 549,333 $1.16 $6,372
8742 56,426 68,921 78,235 203,582 $0.10 $204
8810 41,569 43,536 48,536 133,641 $0.08 $107
            $6,683

Example 2 – Qualifies for Experience Rating

In the second example below, Employer 2 does qualify for experience rating because the eligibility value ($14,149) is above the eligibility threshold of $10,200.

Experience Modification Effective: September 1, 2022

Classification
Code
2019
Payroll
2020
Payroll
2021
Payroll
Payroll
Total
Expected
Loss Rate
(per $100)
Eligibility
Value
8017 211,777 199,592 771,869 1,183,238 $1.16 $13,726
8742 92,109 95,551 100,551 288,211 $0.10 $288
8810 49,233 55,566 64,555 169,354 $0.08 $135
            $14,149

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