You go to work in Rome every workday with the confidence and security that comes from knowing that were you to be injured while on the job, workers’ compensation benefits would be available to cover many of the resulting expenses. Imagine the confusion, frustration and fear you might feel if after such an injury occurred, you were told by your employer that it did not offer such benefits. Such is the situation that many of those that we here at Cromartie Law have worked with have encountered. Typically, companies defend such a response by saying that they are not required to carry workers’ compensation coverage. Thankfully, you can know for yourself whether that is true or not.
According to the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation, any company that employs more than three people must offer workers’ compensation. Those employees do not necessarily need to be full-time staff, but rather any employee that works on a regular basis. Compensation is also not a requisite when determining one’s status as an employee. Unpaid volunteers (such as elected officials, firefighters or law enforcement officers) may also qualify.
There are certain employment situations, however, where your boss or company may not need to carry workers’ compensation coverage. These include:
- Farm laborers
- Domestic servants
- Independent contractors
Licensed real estate agents often fall into the category of independent contractors, freeing up their firms from needing to offer workers’ comp. Common rail carriers involved in both interstate and intrastate commerce are also not required carry such coverage.
A failure of your employer to carry workers’ compensation insurance when it is required to do so could result in it facing fines, civil penalties and even criminal misdemeanor charges. You can learn more about workers’ compensation coverage requirements by continuing to browse through our site.