The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, often called USL&H, is a federal law that provides benefits to certain maritime workers injured on navigable waters or in adjoining areas such as piers, wharves, and dry docks. A standard state workers’ compensation policy does not include these benefits unless it is endorsed to add them.
Who typically needs USL&H coverage:
Ship repair and shipbuilding workers. Welders, painters, and mechanics working on vessels or in a yard fall within the Act’s reach in many cases.
Terminal and cargo workers. Stevedores, longshore workers, and marine cargo handlers are the Act’s original focus.
Marine contractors. Crews building or repairing piers, wharves, and seawalls may be covered by the Act, depending on their duties and where they work.
Subcontractors aboard vessels. Electricians, insulators, and other trades working on a vessel can create exposure for the contractor who hires them.
Where the line gets drawn. Seamen are excluded because they fall under the Jones Act, and some recreational and retail marine employers fall outside the Act. Coverage turns on each employee’s duties and location, so classification should be reviewed rather than assumed.
How Liberty structures your protection: We classify employees by duties and work location, add the USL&H endorsement where it applies, and coordinate it with state workers’ compensation and maritime employers liability so every worker is covered under the correct system.