Californians will not take too severe an income loss while out of work during the days after an injury or illness happens on the job. The workers that lost their earned income get an amount that keeps the drop in income modest and not hard to handle.

Unproductive days will not make living difficult. Enough income to buy the things needed to live decent and pay bills is guaranteed.

Living Costs and Income Losses

While out of work, Californians can get paid Temporary Total Disability benefits that count up to enough to cover living costs. The workers' compensation insurance payments keep workers from straying too far from a life with a secure income that covers the real costs for living. They have an opportunity to make the best of their time out of work and plan on returning to work with their money balance still at a decent amount.

Replacing Some of Earned Income

The income paid during unproductive days is not low, for any worker. Two-thirds the lost work income is the typical amount. Those workers that had more opportunities to spend and save money before their injury or illness because their income was a stable and generous amount get more disability income. Average Californians can plan on an income that is still a common one.

But, not all workers get two-thirds of what they lost.

At The Most

Workers that earn higher incomes than average can get paid less than two-thirds their lost earned income. California has a maximum for the amount paid for TTD benefits. The amount depends on the injury date. Since 2007, the amount has been increased yearly to equal the state average weekly wage (SAWW) for the previous year. The years 2004, and 2005 and 2006, have separate maximums. Visit the Division of Workers Compensation website, www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/, or call the division to learn the maximum for the year.

At The Least

Low income workers can get paid more than two-thirds. California has a minimum amount for TTD benefits. The income is near the dollars and cents needed for living necessities. This amount also depends on the date of injury. Like the maximum, since 2007, the minimum benefit has been increased yearly to follow the increases in the state average weekly wage (SAWW). If the wages decrease the minimum will decrease. The injury years 2004 to 2006 have a lower minimum set at two-third of $189 a week wages, $126.

Visit the Division of Workers Compensation website, www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/, or call the division to learn the minimum for the year.

No Californian on workers' compensation gets paid less than the minimum.

Opportunity Not Lost

For a length of time, Californians can break even. The costs of living are paid using benefits dollars.

Source:

California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, Workers' Compensation in California: A Guidebook for Injured Workers (Third Edition, November 2006).