Can I get lost wage payments from workers’ compensation?

If you get injured at work, you probably count on workers’ compensation to help you pay the resulting medical bills. However, that is not the only worry. If you have to miss work, you may wonder if workers’ compensation will help you out with lost wages. After all, you would be at work, making money if you did not get injured. According to the North Carolina Industrial Commission, you may qualify for lost wage payments, but this is not always the case.

To begin with, you cannot collect lost wages until you miss seven days of work. That means regardless of the situation, you will go at least seven days without pay. Even if you do qualify for lost wages on the eighth day, you will not get paid for the seven you missed unless you miss over 21 days in total.

Once you qualify for lost wage payments, you will get a check every week. The amount of the check depends on your average weekly earnings. There is a cap on the amount you may receive, though. If you earn more than the maximum allowed, you will only get paid up to the maximum. In addition, you do not receive your full pay. Workers’ compensation only pays you at a rate of 66 2/3% of your average pay.

The good news is that you can receive lost wage benefits until you return to work. So, you can count on some income if you miss at least seven days due to your injury. This information is for education and is not legal advice.