The Nevada workers compensation act — formally the Nevada Nevada Industrial Insurance Act (NRS 616A.005 says Chapters 616A to 616D “shall be known as the Nevada Industrial Insurance Act”). Occupational diseases are covered by a separate act, the Nevada Occupational Diseases Act, in NRS Chapter 617., found at Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Title 53, Chapters 616A to 616D.
Occupational diseases are in NRS Chapter 617. — is the statute behind every workers’ comp claim, benefit and employer mandate in the state. This plain-English guide to the Nevada workers compensation act gives the section numbers next to the rules people actually need: who must be covered, the deadlines, the waiting period, the pay rate, the exclusive-remedy bargain, the ban on retaliation and the penalties.
Verified against the official code as of October 2026.
Nevada at a Glance
| Official name | Nevada Industrial Insurance Act (NRS 616A.005 says Chapters 616A to 616D “shall be known as the Nevada Industrial Insurance Act”). Occupational diseases are covered by a separate act, the Nevada Occupational Diseases Act, in NRS Chapter 617. |
| Where it lives | Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Title 53, Chapters 616A to 616D. Occupational diseases are in NRS Chapter 617. |
| First enacted | 1913 |
| Reporting deadline | Written notice to the employer (Form C-1) as soon as practicable, but no later than 7 days after the accident (NRS 616C.015). |
| Filing deadline | The claim for compensation (Form C-4) must be filed with the insurer within 90 days after the accident if the worker sought medical treatment or missed work (NRS 616C.020). A worker who misses the notice or claim deadline may be barred from benefits unless an excuse applies (NRS 616C.025). |
| Exclusive remedy | NRS 616A.020 makes the rights and remedies in Chapters 616A to 616D the worker’s exclusive remedy against the employer. Main exceptions: (1) a civil suit against a negligent third party who is not the employer, subject to the insurer’s lien (NRS 616C.215); (2) a suit for an intentional tort where the employer deliberately intended the injury (this exception comes from Nevada case law, not the statute text); (3) a civil action against an employer that had no coverage (NRS 616B.636). |
In This Nevada Guide:
What the Nevada Workers Compensation Act Is
A workers’ compensation act is a no-fault deal written into state law: the employer pays for work injuries without the worker proving fault, and the worker gives up most lawsuits against the employer in return. The Nevada workers compensation act dates to 1913. It lives at Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Title 53, Chapters 616A to 616D.
Occupational diseases are in NRS Chapter 617., and the official text is linked in the sources. (1) Nevada has had no state fund since its system was privatized, so employers insure through private carriers, self-insurance or association self-insurance. (2) The Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers (NAIW, naiw.nv.gov) is a state agency that may represent injured workers free of charge at the appeals-officer level (NRS 616A.435 to 616A.460).
(3) Insurers must give workers a brief written description of their rights and benefits (Form D-2, NRS 616C.050). (4) Sole proprietors are not automatically covered but may elect coverage. (5) Firefighters and police officers have occupational-disease presumptions in NRS Chapter 617. Many claimants find it helpful to confirm details with DIR and a licensed attorney.
Who the Nevada Workers Compensation Act Covers
NRS 616B.633. Every employer with at least one employee must provide and maintain industrial insurance, either through a private carrier or by certified self-insurance.
NRS 616A.110 excludes several groups from the definition of “employee.” These include casual employment that is not part of the employer’s trade or business, household domestic service, farm, dairy, agricultural, horticultural, stock and poultry labor (unless Chapters 616A to 616D provide otherwise), and casual musicians hired for 2 days or less.
Deadlines in the Nevada Workers Compensation Act
Waiting period: NRS 616C.400 sets a 5-day waiting period. Temporary benefits are not paid unless the worker cannot earn full wages for at least 5 consecutive days, or 5 cumulative days within a 20-day period. If that threshold is met, compensation is calculated from the date of injury.. Wage-loss rate: NRS 616C.475 sets temporary total disability at 66 2/3 percent of the average monthly wage.
The average monthly wage is calculated under NRS 616C.420 and capped at a maximum that the Division of Industrial Relations resets every fiscal year..
Nevada Workers Compensation Act: Key Sections at a Glance
The sections of the Nevada workers compensation act that decide most cases, each with its citation:
| Coverage mandate | NRS 616B.633. Every employer with at least one employee must provide and maintain industrial insurance, either through a private carrier or by certified self-insurance. |
| Exemptions | NRS 616A.110 excludes several groups from the definition of “employee.” These include casual employment that is not part of the employer’s trade or business, household domestic service, farm, dairy, agricultural, horticultural, stock and poultry labor (unless Chapters 616A to 616D provide otherwise), and casual musicians hired for 2 days or less. |
| Report an injury | Written notice to the employer (Form C-1) as soon as practicable, but no later than 7 days after the accident (NRS 616C.015). |
| File a claim | The claim for compensation (Form C-4) must be filed with the insurer within 90 days after the accident if the worker sought medical treatment or missed work (NRS 616C.020). A worker who misses the notice or claim deadline may be barred from benefits unless an excuse applies (NRS 616C.025). |
| Waiting period | NRS 616C.400 sets a 5-day waiting period. Temporary benefits are not paid unless the worker cannot earn full wages for at least 5 consecutive days, or 5 cumulative days within a 20-day period. If that threshold is met, compensation is calculated from the date of injury. |
| Wage-loss rate | NRS 616C.475 sets temporary total disability at 66 2/3 percent of the average monthly wage. The average monthly wage is calculated under NRS 616C.420 and capped at a maximum that the Division of Industrial Relations resets every fiscal year. |
| Exclusive remedy | NRS 616A.020 makes the rights and remedies in Chapters 616A to 616D the worker’s exclusive remedy against the employer. Main exceptions: (1) a civil suit against a negligent third party who is not the employer, subject to the insurer’s lien (NRS 616C.215); (2) a suit for an intentional tort where the employer deliberately intended the injury (this exception comes from Nevada case law, not the statute text); (3) a civil action against an employer that had no coverage (NRS 616B.636). |
| Retaliation | Nevada’s workers’ comp chapters have no specific anti-retaliation statute. The Nevada Supreme Court created a common-law tort for retaliatory discharge for filing a workers’ comp claim in Hansen v. Harrah’s, 100 Nev. 60, 675 P.2d 394 (1984). It is a civil tort claim in court, where many claimants seek damages. Confirm with a licensed attorney. |
| Who hears disputes | Disputed insurer decisions first go to a hearing officer of the Nevada Department of Administration, Hearings Division (NRS 616C.315). Those decisions can be appealed to an appeals officer (NRS 616C.345), and from there to district court for judicial review under NRS Chapter 233B. |
The Exclusive-Remedy Bargain in the Nevada Workers Compensation Act
NRS 616A.020 makes the rights and remedies in Chapters 616A to 616D the worker’s exclusive remedy against the employer.
Main exceptions: (1) a civil suit against a negligent third party who is not the employer, subject to the insurer’s lien (NRS 616C.215); (2) a suit for an intentional tort where the employer deliberately intended the injury (this exception comes from Nevada case law, not the statute text); (3) a civil action against an employer that had no coverage (NRS 616B.636).
Retaliation and Penalties Under the Nevada Workers Compensation Act
Nevada’s workers’ comp chapters have no specific anti-retaliation statute. The Nevada Supreme Court created a common-law tort for retaliatory discharge for filing a workers’ comp claim in Hansen v. Harrah’s, 100 Nev. 60, 675 P.2d 394 (1984). It is a civil tort claim in court, where many claimants seek damages. Confirm with a licensed attorney.
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The penalty section covers employers who go without required coverage: fines, stop-work orders and, in many states, criminal exposure. Disputed insurer decisions first go to a hearing officer of the Nevada Department of Administration, Hearings Division (NRS 616C.315). Those decisions can be appealed to an appeals officer (NRS 616C.345), and from there to district court for judicial review under NRS Chapter 233B.
Recent Amendments to the Nevada Workers Compensation Act
No amendment to the Nevada workers compensation act effective in 2024, 2025 or 2026 was identified in the official code at verification time. Benefit maximums still change every year under the existing sections.
How to Read the Nevada Workers Compensation Act
Statute pages are written for lawyers, so read the Nevada workers compensation act in this order: the definitions section (who is an employee), the coverage section, then the specific section for your question, using the citations above. The official code is the source; the summaries on legal-information sites are not.
If a section of the Nevada workers compensation act seems to conflict with what an insurer told you, the section wins — and the state agency’s information line can confirm it for free.
Applying the act: the Nevada claim guide turns these sections into steps and dates, and the Nevada requirements guide covers the employer side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Nevada workers compensation act in the code?
Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Title 53, Chapters 616A to 616D. Occupational diseases are in NRS Chapter 617.. The sources below link to the official text.
How long do I have to report a work injury under the Nevada act?
Written notice to the employer (Form C-1) as soon as practicable, but no later than 7 days after the accident (NRS 616C.015).. Report in writing as soon as possible either way.
Can I sue my employer instead of using the Nevada workers compensation act?
Usually not — the exclusive-remedy section bars most lawsuits against a covered employer. Claims against third parties, and against an uninsured employer, are the common exceptions.
Official Nevada Sources & Resources
- Nevada Nevada Department of Business and Industry, Division of Industrial Relations (DIR), Workers’ Compensation Section. Disputed claims are heard by the Department of Administration, Hearings Division.: https://dir.nv.gov/WCS/Home/
- Nevada Workers’ Comp Statute: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-616c.html
- U.S. Department of Labor — Workers’ Comp: dol.gov
- Insurance Information Institute: iii.org
This Nevada workers compensation act guide was last verified against official Nevada sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
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Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers Comp Explained is an independent educational resource, not a law firm or insurer. Workers’ comp benefits, settlement values, deadlines, and requirements vary by state and by the specific facts of your injury and change over time, and any settlement figures here are illustrative only.
Confirm your rights and any deadline with your state’s workers’ compensation board and a licensed attorney before you act.