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Workers’ Compensation in Georgia
Business owners need workers’ compensation in Georgia. In fact, the state of Georgia requires it by law. This means if you have part-time or full-time employees, you’ll need the right workers’ compensation coverage for your company.1 However, there are exceptions to this requirement, like:2
- Railroad carriers
- U.S. government agencies
- Farm workers
- Domestic workers
Workers’ comp helps provide important benefits to your employees, like paying for medical care. Workers’ comp insurance for small business can also help reduce the amount of liability they face when a work-related injury or illness occurs.3
It’s also important to remember that as a Georgia business owner, it’s your responsibility to get workers’ comp insurance. You can buy Georgia workers’ comp policies through a licensed insurance carrier, like us. To learn more about workers’ compensation rates, get a quote today.
Who Is Required to Have Workers’ Comp Insurance in GA?
Georgia workers’ compensation law states that businesses with three or more full-time, part-time and seasonal employees need workers’ comp coverage. The amount your business needs depends on your number of employees. If your business doesn’t provide workers’ comp, you may:4
- Be liable for an injury or illness that takes place on the job. In this case, you’ll need a workers’ compensation attorney. When consulting with them, your attorney-client relationship will provide you with confidentiality.
- Face penalties that can be either civil or criminal.
What does workers’ compensation cover? Workers’ comp helps pay for medical costs for employees with work-related injuries or illnesses. It can also provide disability benefits and help replace some missed wages if an employee needs time off work to recover.
Workers’ compensation insurance in Georgia can help if you have an employee who:
- Trips over a box and fractures their wrist. Workers’ comp can help cover the cost of their emergency room visit and any follow-up appointments.
- Tears a ligament while lifting a heavy object. Workers’ comp can help cover the cost of medical treatment, including physical therapy or surgeries.
- Develops carpal tunnel syndrome from years of office work. Workers’ comp can help cover the treatment for this repetitive strain injury.
You’ll also want to get proof of coverage, also known as a certificate of insurance. This document helps you show clients that your business is complying with Georgia workers’ compensation laws and provides coverage details for your specific policy.
The best way to get comprehensive Georgia workers’ compensation policies is to compare quotes from multiple insurance companies. To get started, get a quote from us today. We’re here to make sure your business and employees get the workers’ compensation benefits they need.
Additional Georgia Workers’ Compensation Coverage
Workers’ compensation helps cover:
- Disability benefits if a work injury leaves an employee temporarily disabled.
- Funeral costs and death benefits in the tragic event that an employee dies due to a work-related incident. Death benefits provide dependents with two-thirds of the employee’s weekly average wage.5
- Missed wages when an employee needs time off work to recover. Employees stop receiving these wages when they return to work.
- Ongoing care when an injured worker needs an extended amount of treatment, like physical therapy.
- Repetitive stress injuries, like tendonitis that develop after years of poor ergonomic positioning in the office.
How Long Can You Receive Workers’ Compensation in Georgia?
Workers’ compensation benefits depend on the severity of an employee’s injury or illness. Individuals may be able to receive benefits for workers’ compensation for up to 400 weeks, depending on their type of injury or illness.6 Learn more about how long workers’ comp can last.
Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation
The Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation oversees workers’ comp cases. They appoint an administrative law judge or staff attorney to mediate each workers’ comp case.7
Mediation is usually an informal process that allows every participant to contribute. Mediators will encourage discussion of issues and offer suggestions. However, the parties involved make the final decision. In some cases, mediators can act as the voice of the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. They’ll do this by suggesting how the board might respond if an issue goes to a formal hearing.8
Workers’ Compensation Settlements in Georgia
Employees can request workers’ comp settlements in Georgia by filing with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. After the request for workers’ compensation settlements, Georgia’s board will help with negotiations through settlement conferences.
Employees can also request mediation conferences by filing with the board.9 To learn more, visit the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation website.
Georgia Workers’ Compensation Claims and Quotes
To file a claim for workers’ compensation in Georgia, visit our workers’ comp claims page today.
You can also learn more about the amount of coverage your business needs by getting a quote. We’re an insurance company business owners like you have trusted for over 200 years.
1,3,4 State Board of Workers’ Compensation, “Employer Information”
2 State Board of Workers’ Compensation, “Online Employer’s Workers’ Compensation Coverage Verification”
5,6 State Board of Workers’ Compensation, “Workers’ Compensation Law FAQs”
7 8,9 State Board of Workers’ Compensation, “Mediation FAQs”