In Georgia, employers are required to provide certain state-mandated benefits to their employees. Understanding these mandatory benefits is crucial for maintaining a competitive business environment.

Paid Leave

Georgia mandates employers to provide employees with paid annual leave. The specific amount of leave is not mandated by the state, so it's up to your company policy to determine the number of days offered.

Employees are also entitled to paid time off for official public holidays observed by the state.

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a federal law that applies to all states including Georgia, eligible employees can take unpaid, job-protected leave for childbirth, adoption, or to care for a sick family member.

Social Security and Medicare

Employers in Georgia are required to withhold a portion of employee wages to contribute to Social Security and Medicare taxes. These federal programs provide financial assistance for retirement and healthcare needs.

Worker's Compensation

Georgia law requires employers to carry worker's compensation insurance to cover medical expenses and lost wages for employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses.

In Georgia, employers often provide additional perks to attract and retain top talent, even though many benefits beyond the basics are not mandated. Here are some commonly offered optional employee benefits in Georgia:

Disability Insurance

Short-term and long-term disability insurance can provide income protection if an employee becomes unable to work due to illness or injury.

Life Insurance

Life insurance provides financial security for an employee's beneficiaries in the event of their death.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Some employers in Georgia offer paid time off (PTO) banks that employees can accrue and use for vacation, sick leave, or personal days.

Wellness Programs

Wellness programs can include gym memberships, health screenings, and educational resources to promote employee health and well-being.

Flexible Work Arrangements

Flexible work arrangements like remote work schedules or compressed workweeks can improve work-life balance for employees.

Tuition Reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement programs can help employees offset the cost of continuing education or professional development.

Dependent Care Assistance Programs (DCAP)

DCAPs allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for dependent care expenses like childcare or eldercare.

Remember, this list is not exhaustive, and the specific benefits offered can vary depending on the size, industry, and culture of the company.

In Georgia, there are two key points to understand about health insurance requirements for employees: state requirements and federal requirements.

State Requirements

Georgia does not have a law mandating employers to provide health insurance to their employees.

Federal Requirements

The federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) has a provision for employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees (FTEs). These employers are required to offer affordable health insurance that meets minimum essential coverage (MEC) and minimum value (MV) standards.

In summary, employers in Georgia with less than 50 FTEs are not legally obligated to provide health insurance.

Additional Considerations

Even though not mandated by law, many employers in Georgia offer health insurance as part of their employee benefits package to attract and retain talent.

Georgia does require employers to provide mandatory accident insurance for employees performing hazardous work. This applies to legal entities and self-employed individuals classified as high-risk workers.

Georgia provides a variety of retirement savings options for its employees, depending on their employment sector.

Employees' Retirement System of Georgia (ERS)

The Employees' Retirement System of Georgia (ERS) is a plan type known as GSEPS (Georgia State Employees' Pension & Savings Plan). This plan combines a Defined Benefit Pension Plan and a 401(k) option. It is mandatory for all full-time, benefits-eligible employees of the State of Georgia.

The Defined Benefit Pension Plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on salary, years of service, and age at retirement. The 401(k) Plan with Employer Matching allows employees to contribute a portion of their salary pre-tax, with the state matching contributions up to a maximum of 5%.

Optional Retirement Plans (Public Education)

This plan applies to employees of the University System of Georgia (USG) and potentially other public school systems. The plan options include the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) Plan, which is a Defined Benefit Pension Plan specifically for eligible teachers, and the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), a 401(k)-style plan for eligible USG employees who choose not to participate in TRS.

Employees are required to enroll in either TRS or ORP if they work 20 hours or more per week, with specific eligibility criteria for each plan.