FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, M CM I LLI A N and GOSS, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

June 24, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 61 7

. W ARE COUNTY BOARD O F EDUCATION et al . v

. TAFT. GS-0 2 2

G O S S , J u d g e.

W e g ran t ed t h i s d is cret i on ary ap p eal by t he W are Co u n t y Bo ard o f Ed u cat i o n

(t he “ BOE”). 1 T h e BOE ap p eal s fro m a s u p eri o r co u rt o rd er affi rm in g a deci s i o n by

t h e Ap p el l at e Di vi s io n o f t h e St at e Bo ard o f W ork ers ’ Co m p en s at i o n (t h e “ Ap p el l at e

Di v is i o n ”), wh i ch had rev ers ed an Ad m i n i s trat i v e L aw Ju d ge’ s (“ ALJ ”) d eci s i o n as

t o t h e cal cu l at i on o f em

p l o y ee Ro y Taft ’ s av erag e week l y wag e, wh ich un d erl i es h i s

d i s ab i l i t y b en efi t s award

. Th e BOE co n t en d s t h at OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 was m i s ap p l i ed

i n t he d et erm i n at i on o f Taft ’ s av erag e week l y wag e. Fi n d i n g n o erro r, we affi rm

.

1 Th e ot h er a p p e l l a n t s in t h e i n s t an t cas e are Geo rg i a Ed u cat i o n W o rk ers ’

Co m p en s at i o n Tru s t Fu n d an d Geo rg i a Ad m i n i st rat i v e Serv i ces

.Taft i s a BOE em pl o y ee wh o w ork s a s ch o o l -y ear s ch ed u l e o f 2 2 0 d ay s

, b ut

w h o s e p ay i s p ro -rat ed an d s p read o v er a fu ll cal en d ar y ear t o acco u nt fo r p eri o d s

d u ri n g wh ich h e d i d no t wo rk b ecau s e o f s ch o o l b reak s o r ho l i d ay s

. As wi l l b e

ex p lai n ed m o re fu l l y b el ow, t h e i s s u e p res en t ed i s wh et her Taft ’ s d i s ab i l it y b en efi t s

s h o u ld b e cal cu l at ed b as ed up on t h e act u al pro -rat ed p ay h e recei v es o r s h o u ld i n s t ead

i n cl u d e th e p o rt i o n o f hi s p ay th at h e h a s w o r k ed t o earn

, b u t th at i s d eferred fro m

each p ay p eri o d an d p ai d o u t o v er t h e fu ll y ear.

In rev i ewi n g a wo rk ers ’ co m p en s at i o n award

, t hi s Co u rt m u s t co n s t ru e

t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l ig ht m o s t f a v o r a b l e to t h e part y p rev ai l i n g b efo re

t h e ap p el l at e di v i s i o n

. Th e fi n d i n g s o f t he St at e Bo ard o f W ork ers ’

Co m p en s at i o n

, w h en s u p p o rt ed b y an y ev id en ce, are co n cl u s i v e an d

b i n d i n g

, an d n ei t h er t h e s u peri o r co u rt n or t h is Co u rt m a y s ub s t i t ut e

i t sel f as a fact fi n d i n g b o d y i n l i eu o f t h e St at e Bo ard

.

(Fo o tn o tes o m i t t ed

. ) La u r en s Co u n t y Bd

. o f E d

. v. Dewb er ry

, 2 9 6 Ga. Ap p

. 2 0 4

, 2 0 5

-

2 0 6 (6 7 4 SE2 d 7 3 ) (2 0 0 9 ). “ [W ] e rev i ew d e n o v o erro n eo us ap p l i cat i o n s o f l aw to

u n d i s p u t ed fact s

, as wel l as d eci s i o n s b as ed o n erro n eo us t h eo ri es o f l aw.” (Ci t at i o n

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) S a n ch ez v. Ca r ter

, 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. 18 7

, 18 7 (8 0 6 SE2 d 6 3 8 )

(2 0 1 7).

2Taft h a d w o rk ed fo r t h e BOE as a cu s t o d i an fo r 1 0 y ears wh en

, on J u n e 1 5,

2 0 1 6

, h e s l i p p ed o n wax ed fl o o rs an d i nju red h i s ri g h t s h ou l d er. Taft fi l ed n o t i ces o f

cl ai m fo r t em

p orary t o t al d i s ab i l i t y b en efi t s wi t h th e St at e Bo ard o f W o rk ers

C o m p e n s at i o n

. Th e p art i es ag reed t h at t h i s was an accep ted cl ai m

. Taft b eg an

recei v i ng t o t al t em

p o rary d i s ab i l it y b en efi t s o f $ 2 0 7

. 6 1 p e r week

, b as ed o n an

av erag e week l y gro ss w ag e o f $ 3 1 1 .3 9

, b u t s o u g h t ad d i t i o n a l to t al t em p o rary

d i s ab i l i t y b en efi t s

, co n t en di n g t h at t h e cal cu l at i o n o f h i s av erag e week l y wag e was

i n co rrect

.

A h eari n g was h el d b efo re an ALJ t o d et erm i n e Taft ’ s co rrect av erag e week l y

wag e. Th e Ap p el l at e Di v i s i o n accep t ed t h e ALJ ’ s fact fi n d i ng s t h at Taft w as a BOE

em pl o y ee, t h at t h ere w ere 2 2 0 wo rk d ay s du ri n g t he s ch o o l y ear, t h at T aft ’ s co n t ract

req u i red t h at h e b e pai d $ 9.2 0 p er h o u r fo r a 4 0 -h o u r w o rk w e e k

, an d t h at h i s t o t al

co m p en s at i o n w as $ 16

, 1 9 2

. 0 0 d i s b u rs ed i n eq u al m o n t hl y i n s t al l m en t s o f $ 1 ,3 4 9 .3 3

t h ro u g h ou t a 1 2 -m o n t h y ear. Th e s up eri o r co u rt fo u n d t h at t he ev i d en ce s u p p o rt ed

t h i s , an d t h es e am ou n t s are n o t co n t es t ed o n ap p eal

.

Th e W o rk ers ’ Co m

p en s at i o n Act p ro v i d es t h at t em p o r a r y t o tal d i s ab i l i t y

b en efi t s are cal cu l at ed b as ed up o n a d et erm i n at i o n o f an em p l o y ee’ s av erag e week l y

wag e u n d er OCGA § 3 4-9 -2 6 0. OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 (1 ) p ro v i d es i n p ert i n en t p art t h at :

3If t h e i n ju red em p l o y ee s h al l hav e wo rk ed i n t h e em p l oy m en t i n wh ich

h e was wo rk in g at t h e t i m e of t h e i n ju ry

. . . d uri n g s u b st an t i al ly th e

wh o le o f 1 3 week s i m

m ed i ate ly p reced i ng t h e i n ju ry

, h i s av erag e week l y

wag e s h al l b e o n e-t h i rt een t h of t he t o t a l a mo u n t of wa g es ea r n ed i n s u ch

em p l o y m en t d u ri n g t h e 1 3 week s [.]

(Em p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) See al s o Ru l es an d Reg u l at i o ns o f th e St at e Bo ard o f W o rk er’ s

Co m p en s at i o n

, Ru l e 2 60

. In t he 1 3 week s pri o r to t he acci den t

, Taft act u al l y wo rk ed

a t o tal o f 5 9 d ay s o r, as h e a r g u e s i n h i s ap p el l at e b ri ef, 1 1 week s an d 4 d ay s

.

Th er e f o r e

, as t h e Ap p el l at e Di v i s i o n d et erm i n ed

, OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 (1 ) ap p li es

b e c a use T aft h ad wo rk ed “ s u b s t an t i al l y t h e wh ol e o f 13 week s i m m ed i at el y p reced i n g

t h e i n ju ry [.] ” Id

.

Pu rs uan t to t he A pp el l at e Di v i si o n’ s fi n d i n g

, T a f t ’s a verag e week l y wag e i s

cal cu l at ed at $ 3 34 .0 3

, b as ed on a cal cu lat i o n o f h i s co n t ract u al h o u rl y rat e o f $ 9 .2 0,

m u lt i p l ied b y 5 9 ei g h t -h o u r d ay s

, an d d iv i d ed p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 (1 ) by

1 3 . In o t her wo rd s , t he fi n d i ng u n der ap p eal cal cu l at es Taft ’ s av erag e week l y wag e

n o t b y wh at h e act u a l l y was p ai d i n g ro s s wag es p er week i n th e 1 3 week s

i m m ed i at el y p reced i n g t h e i n ju ry

, b u t b y i n cl u d i n g t h e am ou n ts t h at were d eferred

an d p ai d o u t o ver t h e fu l l cal en d ar y ear. On ce av erag e week l y wag e i s es t ab l i s h ed

,

OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 1 p ro v i d es t h at an em p l oy ee i s en t i t l ed t o recei v e t wo -t h ird s o f t h e

4av erag e week l y wag e, u p t o a s et m ax im u m am o u nt

. T hi s i s t h e week l y t e m p o rary

t o t al d i s ab i l i t y b en efi t

. Pu rs uan t t o t h e o r d er u n d er ap peal

, T aft ’ s t em p o rary t o t al

d i s ab i l i t y b en efi t i s $ 22 2 .6 9

.

In i t s ap p eal

, by co n t ras t

, t h e BOE arg u es t h at Taft ’ s av erag e w e e k l y wag e

s h o u ld b e c a l c u l a t e d b as ed u p o n wh at he act u a l l y wa s p ai d d u ri n g t h e 1 3 week s

i m m ed i at el y p reced i n g t he i n ju ry

. T h e u n d is pu t ed fact fi nd i ng i s th at h e was p ai d in

eq u al m o n t h l y i n s t al l m en t s o f $ 1 ,3 4 9

. 3 3, o r $ 1 6 ,1 9 1 .9 6 p er y ear. T he y earl y am o u n t

,

d i v i d ed b y 5 2 week s

, is $ 3 1 1.3 8 p er week

. Th u s

, t h e BOE arg u es

, Taft ’ s av erag e

week l y g ro s s w ag e i s wh at h e act u al l y was p ai d fo r t h e 1 3 week s p ri o r to t h e i n ju ry

.

Th e ALJ ’ s o p i ni o n

, n o w rev ers ed

, d o es n o t m ak e a fi n d i n g as t o t h e d ol l ar am o u n t o f

Taft ’ s av erag e week l y g ro s s wag e, b ut fo u nd t h at i t eq u at ed t o t em p o rary t o t al

d i s ab i l i t y o f $ 2 0 7 .6 1 p er week

.

“ [T] h e wo rk er’ s co m

p en s at i o n l aw i s a hu m an i tari an m eas u re to be co n s t ru ed

l i beral l y

, an d it s p u rp o s e i s t o p ro v i d e co m p en s at i o n fo r an i n

ju red em p l o y ee in

p ro p ort i o n t o h i s l os s o f fu t ure e a rn i n g s on acco u n t o f t h e i n ju ry .” (Ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n om i tt ed .) At l a n ta Jo u r na l & Co n s t i t u t i o n v. Si ms

, 2 0 0 Ga. Ap p

. 2 3 6

, 2 3 7

(4 0 7 SE2 d 4 6 4) (1 9 9 1 ), ci t i n g S t

. Pa u l -Mer cu r y In d emn i ty Co

. v. Id

o v

, 8 8 Ga. Ap p.

6 9 7 , 6 9 9 (7 7 SE2 d 3 27 ) (1 9 5 3 ).

5Taft a r g u e s t h at t h e s t at u t o ry l an g u ag e “ t o tal am o un t o f wag es earn ed ” in

OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 (1 ) m ean s h i s earn i n g s

, fo r p u rp o s es o f cal cu l at i n g av erag e week l y

wa g e

, w e r e $ 3 3 4 .0 3 p er w eek fo r t h e 5 9 d ay s h e act u al l y wo rk ed i n t h e 1 3 -week

p eri o d i m m ed i at el y p reced i n g h i s i n

ju ry . Th i s i s t h e am o u n t h e earn ed b as ed o n h i s

co n tract ual rat e o f $ 9 .2 0 p er h o u r at ei g h t h o u rs p er d ay fo r 5 9 d ay s

.

In an al y zi n g t h e m ean i n g o f t h e p h r a s e “ t o t al am o u n t o f wag es earn ed ” in

OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 (1 ), we reco g n i ze t hat o ur Su p rem e Co u rt h as d e t e r m i n e d t h at

wh en co n s i d eri ng a s t at ut e’ s m ean i n g

,

we m u s t p res um e t h at t he Gen eral A s s em b l y m ean t wh at i t s ai d an d s ai d

wh at i t m ean t

. To th at en d, we m u s t affo rd t h e s t at u t o ry t ex t i t s p l ai n an d

o rd i nary m ean i n g

, w e m u s t v i ew t h e s t at u t ory t ex t i n th e co n tex t i n

wh i ch i t ap p ears

, an d w e m u s t read t h e s t at u t o ry t ex t i n i t s m o s t n at u ral

an d reas o n ab l e way

, as an o rd i n ary s p eak er o f t h e En g l i s h l an g u a ge

wo u ld

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Dea l v. Co l ema n

, 2 9 4 Ga. 1 7 0

, 1 7 2-1 7 3 (1 ) (a)

(7 5 1 SE2 d 3 3 7 ) (2 0 1 3 ). W h i l e o u r cas e l aw has d efi n ed “ t h e term ‘ wag e’ i n OCGA

§ 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 [t o ] m ean an y p ay m en t b y t h e em p l o y er t o t h e e m

p lo y ee fo r s erv i ces

ren d ered i n t h e co u rs e o f em p l o y m en t t h at co n s ti t ut es a n et eco n om i c g ai n t o t h e

em pl o y ee[,] ” At l a n t a Jo ur n a l & Co n s t i t u t i o n

, 2 0 0 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 3 8

, t h e t erm “ earn ed ”

6rem ai n s u n defi n ed

. Th e ev i den ce s h o ws

, as o u t li n ed ab o v e, t h at Taft ea r n ed $ 3 3 4 .0 3

g ro s s week l y wag es b y

wo rk i n g 4 0 h o u rs at h i s co n t ract u al h o u rl y rat e o f $ 9 .2 0 fo r

5 9 d ay s wi t h i n t h e 1 3 -week p eri o d

, b u t t hat a p o rt i o n o f t h o s e ea r n i n g s w ere wi t h h el d

an d i n s t ead l at er p ai d o n a pro -rat ed b as i s o v er 1 2 m o n t h s

, s o t h a t Taft wo u l d n ot

h av e p ay g ap s ov er t h e co u rs e o f a y ear. It wo u l d d efy lo g i c t o s ay t hat Taft h ad n ot

earn ed h i s co n t ract u al rat e o f pay o n ce h e had act u al ly p erfo rm ed t h e wo rk fo r wh i ch

h e was b ei n g pai d

– reg ard l es s of wh en t h at p ay was recei v ed

. Th u s

, t h e o n l y “ n at u ral

an d reas o n ab l e way

, as an o rd i n ary s p eak er o f t h e En gl i s h l an gu ag e wo u l d ” read t h e

s t at u to ry t erm “ wag es earn ed ” i s t o fo cu s o n wh en Taft ea r n ed t h e m on ey u n d er h i s

co n tract reg ard l es s o f wh en h e r ecei ved t h at m on ey

. See Dea l

, 2 9 4 Ga. at 1 73 (1 ) (a).

As o u r Su prem e Co u rt s t at ed

, “ d ep ri v at i o n o f fu t ure earn i n g s

. . . i s m eas u red

b y [an em p l o y ee’ s ] p ro v ed earn i n g cap aci t y

. W e th i n k t he fai res t y ard s t ick b y wh i ch

h i s co m p en s at i o n t o co v er h i s i nju ry can b e m eas u red i s wh at h e wa s ab l e to ea r n an d

wa s a ct u a ll

y ea r n i n g wh en t he m i s fo rt u ne cam e u p on h i m .” (Ci t at io n o m i t t ed ;

em ph as i s s up p l i ed .) Fu l to n Co u n t y Bd

. o f Ed u c. v. Th o ma s

, 29 9 Ga. 5 9

, 6 3 (2 ) (7 8 6

SE2 d 6 2 8 ) (2 0 1 6 ). T aft “ w a s a c t u a l l y earn i n g ” $ 3 3 4.0 3 av erag e week l y g ro s s p ay

wh en h i s i n

ju ry o ccu rred

, ev en t h o u g h a p o rt i o n o f t h o se earn i n g s was wi t h h el d fo r

p ay m en t at l at er d at es

. As p ro v i d ed b y t he p l ai n lan g u ag e o f OCGA § 3 4 -9 -2 6 0 (1 ),

7Taft ’ s av erag e week l y wag e, b as ed o n o ne-t h i rt een t h o f “ th e t o t al am ou n t o f wag es

earn ed ” d u ri ng t h e rel ev an t 1 3 -week p eri o d i s $ 33 4 .0 3

. See Un it ed St a t es Fi d el i t y &

Gu a r a n ty Co

. v. Br a n ch

, 1 7 8 Ga. Ap p

. 8 5 3

, 8 5 3 -8 54 (2 ) (3 4 4 S E 2 d 7 1 4 ) (1 9 8 6 )

(f in d i ng t h at a y ear-en d b o n us

, wh ich h ad b een earn ed b u t n o t y et p ai d

, s h o u l d b e

i n cl u d ed i n an em

p lo y ee’ s av erag e week l y wag e cal cu l at io n ). W e fi n d n o erro r.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McFa d

d en , P. J., a n d

McMi l l i a n , J., co n cu r

.

8