Workers’ compensation benefits in North Carolina are paid weekly, with the employer or insurer generally required to issue the first payment within 14 days of receiving notice of the injury if the claim is accepted. There is a seven‑day waiting period before wage replacement begins, but if disability lasts more than 21 days, those days are reimbursed retroactively. If payments are late, incorrect, or stopped without explanation, the insurer may face a 10% penalty unless excused by the Industrial Commission, and an attorney can help enforce timely payment.