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What is the workers’ compensation rate for lost wages?

One of the benefits of being an employee in Georgia is that your employer most likely must carry workers’ compensation insurance under the law. Worker’s compensation provides you with benefits if you are injured while at work. This insurance takes the burden off you and your employer. While pretty much every workers’ compensation claim results in the payment of related medical expenses, you may also find you can get compensation for lost wages.

The State Board of Workers’ Compensation explains that if you are off work for more than seven days, you can usually get a payment for your lost wages. You do not get paid for those first seven days off unless you are off work for 21 days. At that point, you would then get the back pay for those seven days.

Payments under workers’ compensation are not for the whole amount you would earn if you were working. You can earn 66 2/3 percent of your average wages before the accident. The minimum benefit you may receive is $50, and the maximum benefit is $575. These are figures for the payment on a per week basis. You may get lost wage compensation for up to 400 weeks for total disability.

Temporary partial disability is similar except you can receive a maximum weekly payment of $383. You also can only get payments up to 350 weeks, and there is a maximum benefit cap of $134,050.

Workers’ compensation also may make wage payments if you are the surviving relative of a worker who was killed on the job. Death benefits include a maximum of $575 a week with a burial payment of $230,000. This information is for education and is not legal advice.