California Workers' Comp Benefits Calculator
On $1,200.00 of weekly pay in 2026, your TTD rate is $800.00 a week ($2,400.00 for 21 days off). A 15% permanent disability rating adds $14,645.00 across 50.50 weeks.
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Your California workers' comp benefit breakdown
Weekly Temporary Total Disability Benefit
$800.00
Temporary Total Disability for the Days Entered
$2,400.00
Weekly Temporary Partial Disability Benefit
$800.00
Total Permanent Partial Disability Award
$14,645.00
Combined TTD and PPD Indemnity
$17,045.00
Days Paid
21
Waiting Period and Week Limit
Disability of more than 14 days: paid from the date of disability (4652).
What Sets the Weekly Benefit
Two-thirds of the average weekly earnings, within the limits
Average Weekly Earnings Used (After the Limits)
$1,200.00
Two-Thirds of the Earnings (Before the Limits)
$800.00
Weekly Permanent Disability Rate
$290.00
Permanent Partial Disability Weeks (Labor Code § 4658)
50.5
Life Pension Base Weekly Rate (70%–99% PD)
$0.00
Supplemental Job Displacement Voucher (SJDB)
$6,000.00
Limits for the Year
Earnings taken between $396.91 and $2,646.16: rates $264.61 to $1,764.11 a week
Maximum Weekly Rate for the Year
$1,764.11
Minimum Weekly Rate for the Year
$264.61
On $1,200.00 of weekly pay in 2026, your TTD rate is $800.00 a week, paying $2,400.00 for 21 paid days.
With $0.00 in light-duty pay, your weekly TPD rate is $800.00.
A 15% PD rating pays 50.50 weeks at $290.00 a week for $14,645.00 in PPD ($17,045.00 with TTD) plus a $6,000.00 voucher.
Pre-injury wages, disability duration, and rating
- TTD wage = min(max($1,200.00, $396.91), $2,646.16) = $1,200.00
- weekly TTD = 2/3 × $1,200.00 = $800.00
- paid days = min(21, 728) = 21
- TTD for days = $800.00 × 21 ÷ 7 = $2,400.00
- PPD (15%) = 50.50 × $290.00 = $14,645.00; total = $17,045.00
Weekly TTD and TPD benefits across pre-injury wage tiers
Scheduled PPD award and SJDB voucher across disability ratings
Weekly TTD, TPD, and Total Indemnity Across Pre-Injury Weekly Wage Tiers
| Pre-Injury AWE | Clamped TTD Earnings | Weekly TTD Rate | TTD for Days Entered | Weekly TPD Rate | Scheduled PPD Award | Combined TTD + PPD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300.00 (Floor) | $396.91 | $264.61 | $793.83 | $200.00 | $10,100.00 | $10,893.83 |
| $396.91 (Floor) | $396.91 | $264.61 | $793.83 | $264.61 | $13,362.81 | $14,156.64 |
| $600.00 | $600.00 | $400.00 | $1,200.00 | $400.00 | $14,645.00 | $15,845.00 |
| $900.00 | $900.00 | $600.00 | $1,800.00 | $600.00 | $14,645.00 | $16,445.00 |
| $1,200.00 (Yours) | $1,200.00 | $800.00 | $2,400.00 | $800.00 | $14,645.00 | $17,045.00 |
| $1,800.00 | $1,800.00 | $1,200.00 | $3,600.00 | $1,200.00 | $14,645.00 | $18,245.00 |
| $2,646.16 (Cap) | $2,646.16 | $1,764.11 | $5,292.33 | $1,764.11 | $14,645.00 | $19,937.33 |
| $3,200.00 (Cap) | $2,646.16 | $1,764.11 | $5,292.33 | $1,764.11 | $14,645.00 | $19,937.33 |
For a 2026 injury with 21 days off and a 15% PD rating, your $1,200.00 weekly pay yields $800.00/week in TTD ($2,400.00 over 21 paid days) and $14,645.00 in scheduled PPD.
California Permanent Partial Disability Schedule by Rating Bracket (Labor Code § 4658(e))
| PD Rating | Bracket Weeks (§ 4658(e)) | Cumulative Weeks | Weekly PD Rate | Total PPD Award | Base Life Pension / Wk | SJDB Voucher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 1%–9% (3 wks/1%) | 15 | $290.00 | $4,350.00 | $0.00 | $6,000.00 |
| 10% | 10%–14% (4 wks/1%) | 30.25 | $290.00 | $8,772.50 | $0.00 | $6,000.00 |
| 11% (Index Finger) | 10%–14% (4 wks/1%) | 34.25 | $290.00 | $9,932.50 | $0.00 | $6,000.00 |
| 15% (Yours) | 15%–24% (5 wks/1%) | 50.5 | $290.00 | $14,645.00 | $0.00 | $6,000.00 |
| 28% (One Eye) | 25%–29% (6 wks/1%) | 118.75 | $290.00 | $34,437.50 | $0.00 | $6,000.00 |
| 50% | 50%–69% (8 wks/1%) | 271.25 | $290.00 | $78,662.50 | $0.00 | $6,000.00 |
| 70% | 70%–99% (16 wks/1% + Life Pension) | 433.25 | $290.00 | $125,642.50 | $77.31 | $6,000.00 |
| 85% | 70%–99% (16 wks/1% + Life Pension) | 673.25 | $290.00 | $195,242.50 | $193.27 | $6,000.00 |
Under Labor Code §§ 4453(b)(9) and 4658(e), your $1,200.00 weekly wage sets a $290.00/week PPD rate; a 15% rating pays 50.50 weeks ($14,645.00 total) plus a $6,000.00 SJDB voucher.
Your California workers' comp benefits across pre-injury weekly wages
From $300.00 to $3,000.00 of weekly pay, your weekly TTD benefit rises from $264.61 ($793.83 for the days entered) to $1,764.11 ($5,292.33 for the days entered).
| Weekly wage | Weekly TTD | TTD for days | Weekly TPD | Combined TTD + PPD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300 | $264.61 | $793.83 | $200.00 | $10,893.83 |
| $400 | $266.67 | $800.01 | $266.67 | $14,266.85 |
| $600 | $400.00 | $1,200.00 | $400.00 | $15,845.00 |
| $900 | $600.00 | $1,800.00 | $600.00 | $16,445.00 |
| $1,200 (closest to your input) | $800.00 | $2,400.00 | $800.00 | $17,045.00 |
| $1,800 | $1,200.00 | $3,600.00 | $1,200.00 | $18,245.00 |
| $2,400 | $1,600.00 | $4,800.00 | $1,600.00 | $19,445.00 |
| $3,000 | $1,764.11 | $5,292.33 | $1,764.11 | $19,937.33 |
Your permanent partial disability award across PD ratings
From a 5% rating (15.00 weeks) to a 70% rating (433.25 weeks), the scheduled PPD award rises from $4,350.00 to $125,642.50.
| PD rating | Cumulative weeks | Weekly PD rate | Total PPD award | Base life pension/wk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 0 | $290.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 5% | 15 | $290.00 | $4,350.00 | $0.00 |
| 10% | 30.25 | $290.00 | $8,772.50 | $0.00 |
| 11% | 34.25 | $290.00 | $9,932.50 | $0.00 |
| 15% (closest to your input) | 50.5 | $290.00 | $14,645.00 | $0.00 |
| 28% | 118.75 | $290.00 | $34,437.50 | $0.00 |
| 50% | 271.25 | $290.00 | $78,662.50 | $0.00 |
| 70% | 433.25 | $290.00 | $125,642.50 | $77.31 |
| 85% | 673.25 | $290.00 | $195,242.50 | $193.27 |
How California workers' compensation benefits work
California workers' comp pays tax-free money when a job injury keeps you from working. Under Labor Code § 4653, Temporary Total Disability (TTD) equals two-thirds of your gross pre-injury Average Weekly Earnings (AWE). Labor Code § 4453(a)(10) holds your AWE between a yearly floor and cap.
Both limits rise each January 1 with the California State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW). For 2026 injuries, DIR News Release #2025-116 sets the wage floor at $396.91 and the cap at $2,646.16. That sets the 2026 TTD rate between $264.61 and $1,764.11 a week. In 2025, rates ran from $252.03 to $1,680.29, and in 2024 they ran from $242.86 to $1,619.15.
Under Labor Code § 4652, the first 3 days off work are not paid right away. You get paid for those 3 days if disability lasts more than 14 days or you have an inpatient hospital stay. Labor Code § 4656(c)(2) caps TTD at 104 weeks (728 days) within 5 years of injury. Section 4656(c)(3) raises the cap to 240 weeks (1,680 days) for nine severe listed conditions.
When your doctor says your recovery has plateaued—called Permanent and Stationary (P&S)—any lasting loss gets a whole-percent disability rating under the post-2013 schedule. For injuries from 2014 on, Labor Code § 4453(b)(9) holds PPD weekly wages between $240.00 and $435.00. That locks the weekly PPD rate between $160.00 and $290.00.
2024–2026 Temporary Disability Limits, SAWW Indexing, and TPD Wage Loss (§§ 4453, 4654)
California updates its TTD wage floor and cap every January 1 under Labor Code § 4453(a)(10). Each fall, the state checks the U.S. Department of Labor report of California weekly wages for the year ending March 31. In that period, the SAWW rose 4.98826%, moving from $1,704.00 to $1,789.00. Multiplying the 2025 wage bounds ($378.05 and $2,520.43) by 1.0498826 gives the 2026 bounds of $396.91 and $2,646.16.
For 2024 injuries, the weekly wage bounds were $364.29 and $2,428.72 on a $1,642.00 SAWW, before a 3.77588% SAWW gain lifted the 2025 limits. If your pre-injury pay sits below the yearly wage floor, your benefit equals two-thirds of that floor—which is more than two-thirds of your pay. Between the floor and cap, you get two-thirds of your gross pay, and above the cap you get the yearly maximum rate. Under Labor Code § 4661.5, any TTD check paid two years or more after the injury date uses the current year's rate cap.
If you return to light or part-time work at lower pay while healing, Labor Code § 4654 pays Temporary Partial Disability (TPD). TPD equals two-thirds of your weekly wage loss. Your pre-injury wage is capped at the yearly ceiling before subtracting your current light-duty pay. In the DWC Guidebook Chapter 5 example, a worker who earned $300.00 before injury and earns $210.00 on light duty loses $90.00 a week and gets $60.00 a week in TPD. Section 4654 cuts TPD by any jobless pay shown in the California unemployment benefits calculator.
The 3-Day Waiting Period (Labor Code § 4652) and 104-Week / 240-Week Caps (§ 4656)
Labor Code § 4652 sets a 3-day waiting period when you first miss work. No TTD is paid for days 1, 2, or 3 unless you meet one of two exceptions. First, if your time off lasts more than 14 calendar days, the insurer pays back those first 3 days from day 1. Second, if the injury puts you in the hospital as an inpatient, the 3-day wait is waived right away.
The day you get hurt counts as day 1 unless your boss paid your full wage for that shift. Insurers mail TTD checks every 14 days and divide the weekly rate by 7 for single days. Take a 2026 worker earning $900.00 a week ($600.00 weekly TTD). Missing 10 days with no hospital stay pays 7 days ($600.00 total). Missing 15 days crosses the 14-day mark, so all 15 days are paid ($1,285.71 total).
For injuries from 2008 on, the standard 104-week TTD cap runs inside a hard 5-year window from the injury date. Once 5 years pass from the injury date, TTD stops even if you used fewer than 104 weeks. The extended 240-week cap within 5 years applies only to nine severe conditions: hepatitis B, hepatitis C, amputations, severe burns, HIV, high-velocity eye injuries, chemical eye burns, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic lung disease.
Permanent Partial Disability Brackets (§ 4658(e)) and Life Pension (§ 4659)
When your healing stops, a doctor scores your Whole Person Impairment (WPI) using the AMA Guides 5th Edition. For injuries from 2013 on, the rating schedule multiplies WPI by 1.4. It then adjusts for your age, job class, and non-work causes to set a Permanent Disability (PD) rating from 1% to 100%.
Under Labor Code § 4658(e), paid weeks stack across seven brackets. Ratings from 0.25% to 9.75% pay 3 weeks per point (29.25 weeks at 9.75%). Ratings from 10% to 14.75% pay 4 weeks per point (49.25 weeks at 14.75%). Ratings from 15% to 24.75% pay 5 weeks per point (99.25 weeks at 24.75%). Ratings from 25% to 29.75% pay 6 weeks per point (129.25 weeks at 29.75%). Ratings from 30% to 49.75% pay 7 weeks per point (269.25 weeks at 49.75%). Ratings from 50% to 69.75% pay 8 weeks per point (429.25 weeks at 69.75%), and ratings from 70% to 99.75% pay 16 weeks per point (909.25 weeks at 99.75%). At the $290.00 weekly PPD cap, DWC Guidebook Chapter 7 shows that an 11% index-finger rating (34.25 weeks) pays $9,932.50, and a 28% one-eye rating (118.75 weeks) pays $34,437.50.
If your PD rating is 70% to 99.75%, Labor Code § 4659(a) adds a Life Pension once your scheduled PPD weeks finish. The base weekly Life Pension is 1.5% of your weekly wage—capped at $515.38—for each 1% of rating above 60%. Section 4659(c) raises that base amount each year by the SAWW gain. At 100% PD, you get your full TTD rate for life under § 4659(b).
SJDB $6,000 Voucher (§ 4658.7), Death Benefits (§ 4702), and State Comparisons
If you have permanent partial disability, your boss has 60 days after the P&S report to offer regular, modified, or alternative work lasting at least 12 months. If no job offer is made, you get a $6,000.00 Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB) voucher under Labor Code § 4658.7. It pays school tuition, up to $1,000 for a computer, up to $600 for career help, and up to $500 in cash expenses. Voucher holders can also apply within one year for a separate $5,000 state Return-to-Work check.
For a fatal job injury, Labor Code §§ 4701 and 4702 pay up to $10,000.00 for burial costs. Total death benefits equal $250,000.00 for one total dependent, $290,000.00 for two, and $320,000.00 for three or more. Death benefits are paid weekly at the worker's TTD rate (at least $224.00 a week) and run until any minor child turns 18.
You can close a claim in two ways. Stipulations with Request for Award pay biweekly checks, keep medical care open, and let you reopen within 5 years if you get worse. A Compromise and Release pays one lump sum and closes medical care. Bosses can check policy costs in the workers' comp premium calculator. You can also compare state caps in the Texas workers' comp benefits calculator and the New York workers' comp benefits calculator.
Temporary disability, waiting period, and permanent disability formulas
earnings used (TTD) = min(max(average weekly earnings, year min earnings), year max earnings) [Labor Code § 4453(a)(10)] weekly temporary total disability (TTD) = 2/3 × earnings used [Labor Code § 4653] weekly temporary partial disability (TPD) = 2/3 × max(0, min(average weekly earnings, year max earnings) − post-injury earnings) [Labor Code § 4654] payable TTD days = min(days off > 14 or inpatient hospitalized ? days off : max(0, days off − 3), (listed ? 240 : 104) × 7) [Labor Code §§ 4652, 4656] weekly permanent partial disability (PPD) = 2/3 × min(max(average weekly earnings, $240.00), $435.00) = $160.00 to $290.00/wk [Labor Code § 4453(b)(9)] cumulative PPD weeks = sum of bracket weeks (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 16 weeks per 1% across 0.25%–99.75%) [Labor Code § 4658(e)] base weekly life pension (70%–99.75% PD) = min(average weekly earnings, $515.38) × 1.5% × (PD rating − 60) [Labor Code § 4659(a)]
Worked example: 2026 TTD, 14-day payback, and 15% PPD award
Take a worker hurt in 2026 who earned $1,200.00 a week gross. They miss 21 days with no hospital stay and later get a 15% permanent partial disability rating. Because $1,200.00 sits between the [2026 wage limits](#ttd-tpd-and-saww-indexing), the weekly TTD rate is 2/3 × $1,200.00 = $800.00. Because 21 days is more than 14 days, the 3 waiting days are paid back under § 4652. All 21 days (3 weeks) pay $2,400.00 in TTD.
Next, find the 15% PPD award using the [bracket schedule above](#permanent-disability-and-life-pension). The first tier gives 29.25 weeks, the second tier adds 20 weeks, and the third tier adds 1.25 weeks, for 50.50 weeks in all. Because $1,200.00 tops the PPD wage cap, the weekly PPD rate is $290.00. Multiplying 50.50 weeks by $290.00 gives $14,645.00 in PPD, or $17,045.00 combined with TTD.
2024–2026 DWC rate limits and modeling assumptions
- All rates are found in whole cents using half-up rounding. Each rate equals two-thirds of your clamped weekly wage. Results match the 2024–2026 DWC tables [shown in the TTD limits section](#ttd-tpd-and-saww-indexing). Single days off work divide the weekly rate by 7 days.
- PPD awards use the post-2014 SB 863 schedule [shown in the PPD bracket section](#permanent-disability-and-life-pension). For 2013 injuries, the old $230.00 weekly PPD cap for ratings under 70% does not apply to 2014–2026 claims. The old ±15% return-to-work bumps for 2005–2012 claims also do not apply.
- Life Pension numbers show your starting base rate when your healing stops. Yearly SAWW increases add on top each January 1. Offsets for state disability, jobless pay, or the 80% federal SSDI cap are shown in the linked tools.
These figures are estimates for learning and planning, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice. Terms of use.
What to do after a workplace injury in California
Turn in form DWC-1 (Claim Form) to your boss within 30 days of the injury. Under Labor Code §§ 5401 and 5402(c), filing DWC-1 opens up to $10,000 in medical care during claim review and starts the 14-day TTD check clock.
Check your gross Average Weekly Earnings on your first benefit letter. Under Labor Code § 4453(c), make sure the adjuster counted regular overtime, shift pay, bonuses, room or meal value, and wages from any second job.
Watch your total paid TTD weeks against the 104-week (or 240-week) cap and the 5-year limit from your injury date. If your time off nears 104 weeks, look into State Disability Insurance (SDI) or SSDI before TTD stops.
Read your P&S medical report and any DWC-AD 10133.53 job offer within 60 days. If you disagree with the impairment score, ask for a Panel Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) or call a DWC officer at 1-800-736-7401.
California workers' compensation benefit questions
How much does California workers' comp pay per week in 2026?
For a 2026 injury, TTD pays two-thirds of your gross weekly pay. Weekly rates run from the $264.61 floor up to the $1,764.11 cap ([see the 2024–2026 rate schedule](#ttd-tpd-and-saww-indexing)).
When are the first 3 days of California temporary disability paid back?
Under Labor Code § 4652, the 3-day wait is paid back from day 1 in two cases ([see the waiting period details](#waiting-period-and-week-caps)). You get paid for those 3 days if time off lasts more than 14 days or includes an inpatient hospital stay.
Why is my Permanent Partial Disability weekly rate capped at $290 per week?
Under Labor Code § 4453(b)(9), for injuries from 2014 on, the weekly PPD rate is capped at $290.00 ([see the PPD rate overview](#how-it-works)). That cap holds even when your TTD rate is much higher. Only a 100% rating pays at your full TTD rate.
How are Permanent Partial Disability weeks calculated under Labor Code § 4658?
Under Labor Code § 4658(e), weeks stack across seven brackets ([see the full bracket schedule](#permanent-disability-and-life-pension)). Each point adds 3 weeks in the first bracket and rises to 16 weeks per point in the top bracket, reaching up to 909.25 weeks before 100%.
What is the 104-week limit on California temporary disability?
Under Labor Code § 4656(c)(2), for injuries from 2008 on, total TTD checks cannot pass 104 paid weeks within 5 years ([see the cap details](#waiting-period-and-week-caps)). Once 5 years pass from the injury date, TTD stops unless you have one of the nine listed conditions.
Who qualifies for the $6,000 Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB) voucher?
You qualify if you have permanent partial disability and your boss does not offer lasting work within 60 days of your final report ([see the SJDB voucher details](#sjdb-voucher-death-benefits-and-settlements)). The $6,000.00 voucher pays for school and lets you claim a $5,000.00 state check within 1 year.
Are California workers' compensation benefits taxable?
No. Under Internal Revenue Code § 104(a)(1) and California Revenue and Taxation Code § 17131, workers' comp checks are 100% tax-free. You owe $0.00 in federal or state income tax on TTD, TPD, PPD, Life Pension, or voucher pay.
Sources
- California DIR, DWC Announces Temporary Total Disability Rates for 2026 (News Release #2025-116) (page modified Oct 31, 2025)
- California DIR, DWC Announces Temporary Total Disability Rates for 2025 (News Release #2024-90) (page modified Oct 16, 2024)
- California DWC, Workers' Compensation Benefits Chart (SAWW, TD, PD, SJDB, and Death Benefits) (page modified Mar 1, 2026)
- California DWC, A Guidebook for Injured Workers, Chapter 5: Temporary Disability Benefits (form dated Apr 1, 2016)
- California DWC, A Guidebook for Injured Workers, Chapter 7: Permanent Disability Benefits (form dated Apr 1, 2016)
- California DWC, A Guidebook for Injured Workers, Chapter 8: Other Benefits and Death Benefits (form dated Apr 1, 2016)
- State Compensation Insurance Fund, Temporary Disability Benefits Overview (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4453: Computation of Average Annual and Weekly Earnings (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4652: Three-Day Waiting Period and Exceptions for Temporary Disability (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4653: Temporary Total Disability Benefit Payment (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4654: Temporary Partial Disability Benefit Payment (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4656: Aggregate Disability Payments Cap (104 and 240 Weeks) (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4658: Permanent Disability Payment Schedule and Cumulative Weeks (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4658.7: Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit ($6,000 Voucher) (current version)
- California Labor Code, Section 4659: Life Pension and Permanent Total Disability (current version)
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