Jay-Z gambled with his employees' health and safety — this according to a new lawsuit filed against the rapper by the Workers Compensation Board of New York.

According to the lawsuit, Jay-Z failed to pay workers' compensation insurance for three months in 2009 — and sources close to the situation tell us, the insurance was supposed to cover domestic employees in Jay-Z's house such as cooks, maids, drivers etc.

The government agency sued the rapper to collect $18,000 in fines for the transgression — and a court has since ordered Jay to pay up.

According to the docs, it was only a momentary lapse — after the three-month period in 2009, Jay-Z acquired the right insurance and the problem was resolved.

A source close to Jay-Z claims the rapper never lapsed in his workers' comp payments — saying, the $18,000 bill is the result of a clerical error, which is currently being sorted out.