How Much Workers' Comp Pays in Ohio
How Ohio calculates weekly workers' comp benefits, the current maximum, the waiting period and permanent disability.
Short answer: Temporary total disability is 72% of the worker's full weekly wage for the first 12 weeks (capped at the lesser of the statewide average weekly wage or 100% of net take-home weekly pay), then 66⅔% of the average weekly wage. Ohio Rev. Code § 4123.56
| Weekly benefit rate | Temporary total disability is 72% of the worker's full weekly wage for the first 12 weeks (capped at the lesser of the statewide average weekly wage or 100% of net take-home weekly pay), then 66⅔% of the average weekly wage. Benefits are subject to a maximum equal to the statewide average weekly wage and a minimum equal to one-third of it (or the worker's full wages if lower). Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4123.56 |
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| Maximum weekly benefit | For 2026 injuries, BWC lists a maximum temporary total benefit of $1,281 per week (statewide average weekly wage of $1,281) and a minimum of $427. The permanent total disability maximum is $1,281 ($854 if the worker receives Social Security disability), with a minimum of $640.50. The 2025 maximum was $1,231. Rates are set each January 1 and depend on the year of injury. |
| How long benefits last | Temporary total disability is paid as long as the disability is total. It stops when the worker returns to work, when the treating doctor says the worker can return to the former job, when suitable work within the worker's physical limits is made available, or when the worker reaches maximum medical improvement. The law calls for a review after 200 weeks of temporary total benefits, and ending temporary total benefits does not prevent them from starting again later. Wage-loss compensation is limited to 200 weeks for a worker who returned to lower-paying work, 52 weeks for a worker unable to find consistent work, and 226 weeks in total. Permanent partial disability for scheduled losses is paid for set numbers of weeks under Ohio Rev. Code 4123.57; permanent total disability is covered in 4123.58. Source: Ohio Rev. Code 4123.56 |
| Waiting period | No compensation is paid for the first week of total disability unless the worker is totally disabled for a continuous period of two weeks or more; in that case, the first week is paid after the second week of total disability. There is no waiting period for medical and funeral payments. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4123.55 |
| Permanent disability | Permanent partial disability can be paid as a percentage of permanent partial (%PP) award, which a worker may apply for no earlier than 26 weeks after temporary total payments end (or after the injury, if none were paid); BWC schedules an exam and issues a tentative order, and either side has 20 days to object. Scheduled-loss awards pay a set number of weeks for losing (or loss of use of) body parts, for example 225 weeks for an arm or 125 weeks for an eye. Permanent total disability is paid for life at 66⅔% of the average weekly wage, subject to the statutory maximum and minimum. For 2026, BWC's chart lists scheduled-loss amounts such as $288,225 for an arm. Rate chart: https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/info.bwc.ohio.gov/forms/comprates.pdf |
Where to get help in Ohio
More Ohio workers' compensation
- Filing a Workers' Comp Claim in Ohio
- Workers' Comp Settlements in Ohio
- Retaliation for Filing Workers' Comp in Ohio
- Suing Over a Work Injury in Ohio
- Appealing a Denied Workers' Comp Claim in Ohio
- All Ohio workers' compensation rules
FAQ
How much does workers' comp pay in Ohio?
Temporary total disability is 72% of the worker's full weekly wage for the first 12 weeks (capped at the lesser of the statewide average weekly wage or 100% of net take-home weekly pay), then 66⅔% of the average weekly wage. Benefits are subject to a maximum equal to the statewide average weekly wage and a minimum equal to one-third of it (or the worker's full wages if lower).
What is the maximum workers' comp benefit in Ohio?
For 2026 injuries, BWC lists a maximum temporary total benefit of $1,281 per week (statewide average weekly wage of $1,281) and a minimum of $427. The permanent total disability maximum is $1,281 ($854 if the worker receives Social Security disability), with a minimum of $640.50. The 2025 maximum was $1,231.
How long can you receive workers' comp in Ohio?
Temporary total disability is paid as long as the disability is total. It stops when the worker returns to work, when the treating doctor says the worker can return to the former job, when suitable work within the worker's physical limits is made available, or when the worker reaches maximum medical improvement. The law calls for a review after 200 weeks of temporary total benefits, and ending temporary total benefits does not prevent them from starting again later. Wage-loss compensation is limited to 200 weeks for a worker who returned to lower-paying work, 52 weeks for a worker unable to find consistent work, and 226 weeks in total.
Is there a waiting period for workers' comp in Ohio?
No compensation is paid for the first week of total disability unless the worker is totally disabled for a continuous period of two weeks or more; in that case, the first week is paid after the second week of total disability. There is no waiting period for medical and funeral payments.
How does permanent disability work under workers' comp in Ohio?
Permanent partial disability can be paid as a percentage of permanent partial (%PP) award, which a worker may apply for no earlier than 26 weeks after temporary total payments end (or after the injury, if none were paid); BWC schedules an exam and issues a tentative order, and either side has 20 days to object. Scheduled-loss awards pay a set number of weeks for losing (or loss of use of) body parts, for example 225 weeks for an arm or 125 weeks for an eye. Permanent total disability is paid for life at 66⅔% of the average weekly wage, subject to the statutory maximum and minimum.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.