2017 Statewide Average Weekly Wage Announced

Greetings,

Based upon the Statewide Average Weekly Wage, as determined by the Department of Labor & Industry for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, the maximum compensation payable under the Workers’ Compensation Act, under Article 1, subsections 105.1 and 105.2, shall be $995.00 per week for injuries occurring on and after Jan. 1, 2017. For purposes of calculating the update to payments for medical treatment rendered on and after Jan. 1, 2017, the percentage increase in the Statewide Average Weekly Wage is 1.7 percent.

Workers’ Compensation Rate Schedules
| 2012/2013/2014 | 2015/2016/2017

Under the Workers’ Compensation Act, injured workers are entitled to indemnity (wage-loss) benefits equal to two-thirds of their weekly wage for a work-related injury. However, there are minimum and maximum adjustments provided in the Act, and the benefit rate is set using the annual maximum in place at the time of injury. The maximum is based on the Department of Labor and Industry’s calculation of the statewide average weekly wage.

The following schedules provide the weekly rates from calendar year 2012 to 2017. When referring to the schedules, read down the column for the calendar year during which the injury occurred.

For example, the maximum weekly compensation rate for calendar year 2017 is $995.00. The second block represents the weekly compensation rate to be 66 2/3 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage if the average weekly wage falls between $1,492.50 and $746.26.

The third block reflects a weekly compensation rate of $497.50 if the employee’s average weekly wage is between$746.25 and $552.78.

The last block is 90 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage if his/her average weekly wage is $552.77 or less.