Expert: Jim Boyd - 10/9/2008

Question
Hi Jim.
I am very interested in starting a smallish production company and I recently read that adult film producers had to pay worker compensation insurance on the pornstars they hire. Is this true and if so how much does this type of thing normally cost?

Thanks for this and all of the other advice you have giving me over the last few months.  

Answer
Hi ME,
This is kind of a yes/no thing as it depends on the situation.

Because most Adult Producers hire performers as "independent contractors" – not employees – they are NOT required to carry Workman’s Comp Insurance for the performers.

The only exception to this would be companies like Vivid and Wicked who hire Performers to work exclusively for them. These Performers are called “Contract Girls” (a somewhat misleading term) and are actually on the company payroll as “employees” so they must be covered by Worker’s Comp.

I would suggest you simply disregard the inaccurate information you mentioned reading as the reliability of the source is highly questionable on this and many other matters.