Work comp: Disability benefits -- waiting period

Wage-loss claims are not paid until you lose time from work as a result of your disability for three calendar-days. However, if your disability continues for 10 calendar-days, you will be paid for the entire time that you lose time from work.

Important elements in applying the waiting period

• The waiting period is counted in consecutive calendar-days, not workdays.

• The first day of disability is the first day of the waiting period.

• Any disability (claimed lost time or wages), including a fraction of a day of disability, is considered the first day of disability regardless of whether the employee is paid in full by the employer for that day.

• Temporary partial disability, including time lost from work to obtain medical treatment for a work-related injury, is considered a day in which there is disability.

• If there is disability on the 10th calendar-day or beyond (from the first day of disability), compensation is owed from the first day of disability.

• If the only disability beyond the waiting period is for nonscheduled workdays, generally no compensation is owed for those non-workdays.

More information

If you have questions call the Department of Labor and Industry at 651-284-5032 or 800-342-5354.