Workers’ compensation is designed to provide you with income to cover costs, such as medical bills and lost wages, after you are injured in a workplace accident. If you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, one of your main questions is likely to be how much in weekly benefits you can expect to receive.
Workers’ compensation in California provides you with two-thirds of your average weekly wage. The two-thirds of your wages you receive are pre-tax gross wages.
There is a minimum and maximum weekly limit which adjusts annually. In 2024, the minimum payment was $242.86 per week and the maximum payment was $1,619.15 per week.
Calculating your weekly wage
You can calculate your weekly wage by dividing your annual salary by 52. Two-thirds of that amount is what you could expect to receive.
Although you can attempt to calculate your projected amount, this can be confusing. Working overtime, having more than one job or having different earnings each week are factors that impact the final calculation.
Additionally, you may have disputes over your disability status or expected return to work date, which are other factors that could affect payments.
How do I pay medical bills if I haven’t received benefits yet?
Injured workers must often receive medical treatment before they are paid anything in workers’ compensation benefits. While your workers’ compensation claim is being reviewed, workers’ compensation must pay you up to $10,000 in medical expenses, so you do not need to pay out-of-pocket for treatment.
The workers’ compensation process involves many deadlines and requirements. If your benefits are delayed through no fault of your own, you might be entitled to additional benefits or penalty payments.
However, you must also complete all requirements and meet deadlines to receive your payments promptly. Workers’ compensation laws are meant to protect employees, but the process can quickly become complex, especially as you are trying to recover from an injury.
Having someone on your side through the process helps ensure your employer and insurance companies adhere to requirements and allows you to focus on healing.