Effective Date: 08/01/2007
The State of Georgia is self-insured for Workers' Compensation benefits. All employees on the Institute's payroll are protected under this plan and benefits are paid to cover injuries resulting from work, whether that injury occurred on or away from the employee's normal work site.
The three areas of responsibility, as they pertain to Workers' Compensation are Human Resources, Environmental Safety, and Risk Management. Workers’ Compensation information, forms and instructions on completing forms may be obtained by accessing the Benefits website at www.ohr.gatech.edu or the Benefits Department, Office of Human Resources, 500 Tech Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30332, (404) 894-3925.
The Office of Human Resources will assist campus units in complying with State and Institute policies and serve as the official repository for all records pertaining to a given claim. This department will act as the liaison between the Georgia Department of Administrative Services and the campus unit to ensure that the immediate needs of the injured worker are fulfilled. Finally, this department will assist employees who need to forward medical invoices and out of pocket expense receipts to the Georgia Department of Administrative Services for reimbursement.
The Environmental Science, Health, and Safety Department will chart trends for the causes of work-related injuries and will develop and conduct remedial training programs where appropriate. Also, this department will conduct certain investigations relating to environmental causes or effects.
The Risk Management Department
will investigate all claims involving litigation or when third parties are involved.
This department will also review questionable claims, decisions to controvert,
and requests for referrals to physicians not on the Institute's currently approved
panel. The assignment of private investigators will be made at the sole discretion
of this department. Finally, this department will have oversight on all claim
expenditures.
If you are injured on the job, you must report the injury to your departmental supervisor immediately. Your departmental supervisor should report your injury to DOAS by calling 877-656-7475. Then call AmeriSys at 678-781-2848 or 800-900-1582 to talk to a case manager who will assist you in selecting a physician, scheduling an appointment and obtaining follow-up care.
If, as a result of a work related
injury or illness, you require immediate medical attention, you should proceed
to the nearest emergency medical care facility or call 911 for assistance.
Following your emergency admission,
service or procedure you or your departmental supervisor must notify AmeriSys
Managed Care of your injury by calling 678-781-2848 or 800-900-1582.
If you require additional
care contact AmeriSys Managed Care at 678-781-2848 or 800-900-1582 and speak
to a Case Manager who will assist you in selecting an authorized treating physician.
Your authorized treating
physician will then evaluate your treatment plan and make further recommendations. The week following your injury your
departmental supervisor should call DOAS at 877-656-7475 to verify that the
claim has been properly set-up.
Departmental Supervisors should call DOAS TeleClaim (toll free 1-877-656-7475, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to report injuries within 24 hours of an accident. Reporting should be delayed only long enough for the supervisor to take the employee to the doctor. Claims may only be reported by a supervisor. Employees can not call in their own claims.
As soon as possible after the accident call with the following information:
Once a claim has been reported through TeleClaim, any corrections to the above information should be made by calling your dedicated DOAS Workers' Compensation Specialist. A copy of the completed first report of injury will be faxed to both the number designated by your agency and your DOAS Workers' Compensation Specialist within 24 hours of the report. Only injuries requiring medical care or lost time from work should be reported to TeleClaim. Injuries requiring only first aid or requiring no medical care should be recorded within the agency as an incident only ("incident only" forms can be obtained from DOAS or from the OHR webpage):
Department of Administrative Services
P.O. Box 38198
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
(404) 656-6245