If you are a Georgia employer, a worker sitting at home in Georgia still counts toward your three-employee threshold and still needs to be covered, just like an on-site worker. Where the work physically happens, not whether it is remote, drives which state's coverage applies.
Who this is for: Georgia owners with remote or hybrid staff, and out-of-state companies with employees working in Georgia.
The short version
- Remote Georgia workers count. A home-based employee in Georgia counts toward your three-employee trigger like any other.
- Location of the work drives coverage. Coverage generally follows where the employee actually works, not where the company is based.
- Out-of-state employers can owe Georgia coverage. A company with employees regularly working in Georgia should carry a policy that lists Georgia.
- Your Georgia staff working in another state usually need coverage in that state too.
- Georgia coverage can reach a traveling worker hired in Georgia under the state's out-of-state rule (O.C.G.A. section 34-9-242).
Where coverage is needed
The practical rule is to insure each employee in the state where they physically do the work. Remote does not mean uncovered; it means you look at the home or job location.
| Your setup | Do they count toward Georgia's three? | Where you generally need coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia employer, employee works from home in Georgia | Yes | Georgia |
| Georgia employer, employee works from home in another state | Counts for your total staff | The state where they work, often plus Georgia listed |
| Out-of-state employer, employee works in Georgia | Yes, for that employer's Georgia exposure | Georgia listed on the policy |
| Georgia employee who travels for short jobs out of state | Yes | Georgia, with out-of-state protection reviewed |
Out-of-state companies with Georgia workers
A company based elsewhere does not escape Georgia's rules just because its headquarters is out of state. If it has employees regularly working in Georgia, and its total staff reaches three, it should carry a policy that lists Georgia so those workers are covered under Georgia law. Georgia also has a rule for workers hired in the state who travel: under O.C.G.A. section 34-9-242, Georgia coverage can extend to an employee whose contract of hire was made in Georgia when the employer's place of business is in Georgia or the employee lives in Georgia, and the job was not meant to be performed entirely outside the state. The safe move is to tell your agent every state where employees actually work.
Getting the states right on your policy
Remote teams often span several states, and a policy set up for one state can leave a gap in another. We map where each employee works and make sure those states are listed so a claim is not denied for the wrong location. This matters most when you hire your first out-of-state remote worker, since that is when a single-state policy quietly stops matching your team.
An Alpharetta example
Illustrative, not a quote. An Alpharetta software company has two employees in its office and hires a third who works from home, also in Georgia. All three count toward the three-employee trigger, so the company needs a policy, and the remote worker is covered at their Georgia home just like the office staff. When the company later hires a developer who lives and works in Tennessee, we add that state so the policy still matches where everyone works. See our workers comp for technology companies page.
Real questions Georgia owners ask
Do remote employees count toward workers comp in Georgia?
Yes. A remote worker based in Georgia counts toward your three-employee trigger like any on-site worker, and they need to be covered at their home location the same as office staff.
My company is out of state but I have a worker in Georgia. Do I need Georgia coverage?
Generally yes. If employees regularly work in Georgia and your total staff reaches three, you should carry a policy that lists Georgia so those workers are covered under Georgia law.
Where do I insure a remote worker, at my office or their home?
Where they actually work. Coverage generally follows the location where the employee performs the job, so a home-based worker is insured in the state where they live and work.
Do my Georgia employees working in another state need that state's coverage?
Usually yes. When an employee physically works in another state, you generally need coverage there too. Georgia also has an out-of-state rule that can extend Georgia coverage for workers hired here.
Does a work-from-home injury count as a workers comp claim?
It can. An injury that happens while doing the job at home can be a comp claim, which is one reason remote workers still need to be on the policy in their work state.
I just hired my first out-of-state remote worker. What changes?
That is when a single-state policy can leave a gap. You should list the new state so a claim is not denied for the wrong location. Tell your agent every state where staff actually work.
How does Georgia handle a worker hired here who travels?
Under O.C.G.A. section 34-9-242, Georgia coverage can extend to an employee hired in Georgia who travels, when the employer is based here or the worker lives here and the job was not entirely out of state.
Why Georgia owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Georgia you buy workers' comp on the open market from any private insurer licensed in the state, because Georgia has no state fund, and if no carrier will take you the NCCI-run assigned risk plan is the guaranteed fallback, so we can shop your rate freely and still have a backstop for hard-to-place work.
- We catch pricing mistakes. Your price depends heavily on the category your work falls into for pricing (the class code). Put people in the wrong category and you overpay for years. We review your payroll and classifications before you buy.
- Proof of coverage, fast. Need a certificate (proof of coverage) for a general contractor or a landlord before Monday? We turn those around the same business day for most carriers.
- We help lower the score that drives your price. Insurers give you a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your cost (the experience modification rate). We review it each year, flag errors, and connect you with return-to-work and safety resources that bring it down.
- Real people when a claim happens. When someone gets hurt, we stay involved through the life of the claim, not just at renewal.
Related Georgia guides
Every Georgia business is set up a little differently. These companion guides answer the same question for other situations, plus the national explainers behind the terms used here.
- Business insurance in Georgia (start here)
- Workers comp: the owner's overview
- I own an LLC: do I need workers comp?
- I'm a sole proprietor: do I need workers comp?
- I own a corporation (C-corp or S-corp): do I need it?
- We're a partnership: do we need workers comp?
- We're a nonprofit: do we need workers comp?
- My workers are 1099: do I still need it?
- Only part-time or seasonal staff: do I need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How much does workers comp cost?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- Hiring your first employee: what changes
- What workers comp does not cover
- Georgia technology workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Georgia rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.