It’s time for an Illinois workers’ compensation benefit post that I write every year. It has to do with the rates you get paid for time off work and for settlements. Call us for free or start an online chat if you have any questions about this.

Every six months, the State of Illinois publishes data on the average weekly wages of employees working in the state. As you can imagine, with inflation and minimum wage increases, these rates go up every time. As a result, a workers’ compensation case today is worth more money that the exact same case would be if it happened a year ago. And next year a case will be worth more than it is now.

From this data, both maximum and minimum rates are set for TTD, PPD and other benefits provided to injured workers. The state average weekly wage is set effective as of January 15th and will be recalculated effective July 15th. In other words, if you are reading this after July 15, 2025 the (TTD and permanent disability) rates are higher.

The current state average weekly wage is $1,452.68. This is $29.24 higher than it was in January of 2024. This new rate is used to calculate TTD (temporary total disability benefits) payments. This is the pay you receive for the time you are off work which is 2/3 of your average weekly wage. It’s subject to a maximum which is 133 and 1/3 percent of the state average wage.

As a result, the new maximum TTD rate is $1,936.86. This is the most you could receive, tax free, per week if you are off due to a job injury. Workers making $151,075.08 a year will be subject to this maximum. This rate is more than $200 more per week than what you’d get in 2022.

There is also a minimum rate that is probably more important. That amount is $400 per week and goes up significantly if you have any dependents like a spouse or child.

PPD or permanent partial disability is the rate used to calculate your settlement. It’s 60% of your average weekly wage. It too is also subject to a maximum rate. Unlike TTD, this rate changes once a year on July 1 and is in effect for the following year. The current maximum PPD rate is $1,045.92. So if you sustained a back injury that had you disabled to 20% loss of use which is 100 weeks of benefits, your settlement would be over $104,000 if you were at the max rate.

This PPD amount is almost $200 more than it was in 2021. Like I said earlier, cases are worth more and more every year.

If there is a death on the job or you are permanently disabled from working due to a job accident (PTD), the maximum weekly benefits are the same as TTD which is $1,936.86 a week or $100,716.72 a year. If there’s a death on the job or a catastrophic injury to a younger worker, those cases can be worth in the very high six figures or even low seven figures. The minimum rate for these most serious of work accidents is $726.34 a week.

These rates are constantly changing. The key point to know is your rate is dependent on your weekly wage AND your accident date. If you have a repetitive trauma injury, your accident date is usually the day you first get medical care, the date you first notice the problem or the date you are properly diagnosed.

Please reach out with any questions and check back for rate updates.