Merrimack is, in many ways, a company town — just with several different companies. Fidelity Investments’ sprawling campus is the town’s largest employer by a wide margin, with roughly 6,700 workers, but Merrimack is also home to a significant BAE Systems defense operation, medical device maker Atrium Medical’s corporate headquarters, and one of the region’s largest retail outlet centers. At Granite State Insurance and Risk Management, we help Merrimack employers build Workers’ Compensation coverage around this genuinely unusual employment mix.
A Campus Town With Several Campuses
Fidelity’s Merrimack office is one of the company’s largest sites nationwide, built around a campus-style layout with extensive walking trails and recreational facilities — a workplace culture that’s almost entirely sedentary, desk-based, and customer-service-oriented. A short distance away, BAE Systems and Atrium Medical bring precision manufacturing and medical device production into the mix. And the Merrimack Premium Outlets add a large seasonal retail workforce to the town’s employment base.
Common Risks by Workplace Type
Large-scale office and call center operations (Fidelity’s Merrimack campus and similar corporate operations):
- Ergonomic and repetitive strain injuries from prolonged computer work and phone-based customer service roles
- Voice and repetitive-motion strain specific to high-volume call center work
- Slip-and-fall injuries across large, multi-building campus environments
Precision manufacturing and medical device production (BAE Systems, Atrium Medical):
- Repetitive strain from precision assembly work
- Chemical and solvent exposure in device manufacturing and sterilization processes
- Material handling injuries in production support roles
Retail and outlet mall operations (Merrimack Premium Outlets):
- Lifting and overexertion injuries from stocking and merchandise handling
- Slip-and-fall injuries common to high-traffic retail floors
- Seasonal staffing surges that bring in less-experienced workers during peak shopping periods, which can elevate injury frequency
The Call Center Blind Spot
Large office and call-center employers sometimes underestimate their Workers’ Compensation exposure because the work looks sedentary and low-risk on paper. In practice, high-volume phone and desk-based customer service roles are a real source of repetitive strain and voice-related claims — a category that’s easy to overlook when comparing coverage to more visibly hazardous industries like manufacturing.
What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Workers’ Compensation Insurance provides financial protection for employees who are injured or become ill while performing job duties. It covers medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and more, ensuring your employees receive proper care while protecting your business from costly legal claims.
New Hampshire mandates coverage for most employers with employees under NH RSA 281-A.
Who Needs Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Merrimack?
Whether you run a large office operation, a manufacturing facility, or a retail storefront in Merrimack, if you have employees, New Hampshire law requires you to carry Workers’ Compensation coverage.
Why Choose Granite State Insurance and Risk Management?
As an independent insurance agency, we help Merrimack employers:
- Understand state requirements and ensure full compliance
- Select appropriate coverage for office, manufacturing, or retail exposure
- Access multiple carriers to find competitive options
- Receive local support for claims, policy changes, and risk management
Frequently Asked Questions
Are repetitive strain injuries from call center work covered under Workers’ Compensation? Yes. Cumulative trauma injuries that develop from job duties — including repetitive phone and computer use in call center roles — are generally covered.
Does seasonal retail staffing at the outlet mall affect our Workers’ Compensation costs? Seasonal hiring surges can affect claims frequency, since newer employees are statistically more likely to be injured. It’s worth discussing seasonal staffing patterns with your agent to make sure coverage and training align.
How is coverage structured for a company with both office and production staff? Job classifications should reflect actual duties performed — office and production roles typically carry different classification codes, even within the same company.
Is Workers’ Compensation required for large corporate campuses the same way it is for small businesses? Yes, the legal requirement under NH RSA 281-A applies regardless of company size, though larger employers often work with more complex policy structures.
Contact us today for a custom Workers’ Compensation quote and guidance on New Hampshire compliance.
