We Know Injury Law

Your Guide To Weekly Workers’ Comp Checks

Last updated on March 20, 2026

After a work injury, you probably have a lot of questions about workers’ compensation and what kinds of benefits are available in Georgia. Our workers’ compensation lawyers can answer your questions and help you get all of the benefits to which you are entitled.

We also put together this guide to weekly benefit checks, which injured workers can expect to receive through Georgia workers’ comp. For more information — and for a free consultation regarding your initial filing or appealing a denied claim — contact us in Atlanta today at 404-692-7474. We advise and represent injured workers and their families throughout Georgia.

Understand Weekly Workers’ Comp Benefits

Here are some important things to know:

When you are injured on the job and the doctor has taken you out of work for more than seven days, you are entitled to weekly income benefit checks.
As of July 1, 2019, the maximum weekly workers’ comp benefit rate in Georgia went up to $675 per week. So if you were injured AFTER that date, the rate went up to $675 per week. And that is tax free. Before July 1, 2019, the maximum benefit rate was $575/week.The amount you receive is two-thirds (about 66 percent) of your average weekly wage before taxes. Your average weekly wage is based on your 13 full weeks of gross pay prior to your injury date.
By law, your weekly benefit check has to be mailed during the pay period the check covers. For example: If your pay period is May 1 to May 7, the check can be mailed on May 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7. If the check is not mailed during that time, and we are representing you, we will ask for a 15 percent late penalty for the check not being mailed timely.
Please save all check stubs, as we need the dates of your pay period to track all weekly benefit checks if they do not show up.
Please try to wait until the end of your pay period — or at least four days after you would normally receive your check in the mail — before calling our office.
Once you do call us and let us know that a weekly benefit check did not arrive, and it is actually late, then we will contact the workers’ compensation insurance company to begin tracking the check.
We will continue contacting the relevant parties until the matter is resolved, and we will call you as soon as we have any information regarding your payment.
Generally, though, you can expect your monetary benefits to be mailed promptly and within the established time frame.

For more information regarding workers’ compensation in Georgia, please see our Workers’ Comp FAQ.

What Other Compensation Could You Receive?

If you were injured in a car accident while driving for work, you may be eligible for additional compensation to workers’ compensation.

How Is Your 13-Week Average Weekly Wage Calculated?

Workers’ compensation benefits in Georgia are tied to a worker’s Average Weekly Wage (AWW). In most cases, the insurance company must review the 13 weeks immediately before the injury to determine the worker’s earnings.

However, not every worker has been at the job long enough to have a full 13-week history. When that happens, Georgia law allows insurers to use the earnings of a similar employee. This means they may review the pay of another worker in the same role who has a longer work history and comparable duties.

There are additional forms of compensation that may also count toward the wage calculation. Depending on the circumstances, the following benefits may be included:

Employer-paid health insurance premiums
Housing allowances are provided as part of employment
Travel stipends or reimbursements tied to the job

When these forms of compensation are properly counted, they can increase the AWW and raise the weekly check amount.

What Next If Overtime And Bonuses Get Missed?

Another frequent issue in Georgia workers’ compensation claims involves overtime and bonus income being left out of the wage calculation. Insurance companies sometimes depend on base hourly pay, which can reduce the weekly benefit amount for workers who regularly earn additional income.

Items that may be overlooked include:

Production bonuses tied to job performance
Seasonal overtime hours during busy work periods
Shift differentials or incentive pay

If any of these earnings were part of the worker’s normal income during the 13-week period, they may need to be included in the AWW calculation.

Even after benefit checks have started, the payment rate can still be reviewed. If payroll records show the insurer used incorrect numbers, the weekly benefit may be adjusted upward.

It is also important to understand that Georgia’s workers’ compensation law sets a maximum weekly benefit. This limits how high the payment can go, regardless of wages.

What To Do If Workers’ Comp Checks Are Late Or Stopped

Under Georgia rules, benefits begin shortly after the employer and insurer confirm the claim, which is referred to as the 7-day rule.

If the insurance company wants to suspend or change payments, the employer must file Form WC-2 with the state. Stopping benefits without proper notice can violate workers’ compensation procedures.

Because calculation mistakes are common, a benefit math audit by a lawyer can determine whether the insurer is underpaying or improperly delaying checks.

Get A Free Consultation, Contact Us Today

Our attorneys advise and represent injured workers and their families throughout the Atlanta metro area. To arrange a free consultation, please call 404-692-7474 or send us an email. We can help you maximize your workers’ compensation benefits.

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