One of the most important things a person hurt at work in Georgia can do is tell their employer they are injured! It seems simple, but we often find employers who claim they were never aware of an injury. We also have workers who call us for advice who tell us their employer requires immediate notice or notice within 24 hours of injury. So what does Georgia law require?

Generally speaking, for an injury that is not an occupational disease (e.g., cancer, mesothelioma, etc.), the rule is that an injured worker or employee must report an injury within 30 days. That means you should report your injury when you get hurt, as in the case of acute injuries such as broken bones, torn ligaments, etc., OR when you discover you are injured, as in the case of repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel or tendonitis. Your report may be verbal, but should be to a manager or superior, not a coworker. Best practices are to put your injury report in writing, even if your employer does not require it. That way there is a record of your injury report! An email or text works great. Save your report just in case. The law suggests that employers be proactive when it's clear an employee is hurting, but that rarely happens. Always err on the side of telling your employer. Hopefully, it won't become an issue!

Bottom line: If you get hurt at work, REPORT your injury to a supervisor or HR manager in writing or verbally within 30 days! You may lose valuable benefits if you do not.