Mini-Cassia area farmers are being advised to err on the side of safety when it comes to workers’ compensation law.

About 20 farmers gathered at a workshop to hear local judges and attorneys talk about the new legislation requiring workers’ compensation insurance coverage for farm workers.

“If you’re trying to decide whether to cover or not, cover,” attorney Brent Robinson said. “You don’t want to try to avoid this new thing we have, you want to use it to reduce your risk.”

As of Jan. 1, farmers are required to provide workers’ compensation for their employees, with some exceptions.

Family members do not have to be covered and contract farmers do not have to buy coverage for themselves, although farm labor contractors must provide worker’s compensation for their employees.

State Insurance Fund Ombudsman John Hatch said employers who hire a contract farmer or farm labor contractor should ask for a certificate of insurance from the contractor’s insurance carrier.

A farmer can be sued if the contract farmer is not carrying insurance on an employee who gets injured.