Georgia Uses Technology to Catch Workers’ Comp Violators

The state of Georgia requires most employers with three or more full time, part time or seasonal employees to have workers’ compensation insurance. Georgia is making it easier for its citizens and workers to check an employer’s workers’ compensation coverage and catch workers’ comp violators. You can visit the Georgia State Board of Workers Compensation website and verify employers workers’ compensation coverage online. They can also be reached at 1-(800) 743-5436. If you check the record of a business you believe is required to have Workers’ Compensation insurance and are unable to locate record of proof you are encouraged to contact the Enforcement Division Monday – Friday from 8:00 -4:30 at the phone number listed above. You may also follow the instructions on their website and report a violation online. Any business found in non-compliance with required coverage requirements faces civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation and a year in prison.

With the help of technology, the State Board of Workers’ Compensation Georgia is cracking down on companies that fall short on obligations to their workers. According to the Newman Times-Herald, Georgia has already ousted 538 businesses that did not have a policy, resulting in $480,000 worth of fines and $1.2 million in premiums to cover the 2,700 previously uncovered employees.

The state used to rely on complaints and random inspections that required employers to show proof of coverage. Restaurants, stores and small construction-trades companies are the most frequent violators. Now, with the help of the national database, inspectors can instantly check to see if a business is paying premiums for coverage. They can check out a dozen businesses in the time it would take for a physical inspection. At the end of the year, inspectors check former violators in the database to ensure they are still in compliance with the laws and are still providing coverage.