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How Much Does Workers' Comp Pay in California? (2026 Rates)
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By Eman Yazdchi, Esq. · Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization · Cal Bar #285231
How much does workers' comp pay in California?
California workers' comp pays about two-thirds of your wages while you recover, up to $1,764.11 a week in 2026, plus full medical care and a disability award.
When you cannot work after a job injury, the first question is almost always the same. How will I pay rent? California workers' compensation answers that with several kinds of benefits, and most of them are tied to what you earned before you got hurt.
This page lays out the real 2026 numbers in plain English. You will see what a weekly check looks like, what a lasting injury is worth, and what the law covers beyond your paycheck. None of it is taxed as income, and you do not pay a dime out of pocket for approved medical care.
Here is the short version, then the detail behind each line.
| Benefit | What it pays in 2026 | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary disability (TD) | Two-thirds of your average weekly wage. $264.61 minimum to $1,764.11 maximum per week. | Up to 104 weeks within five years (Labor Code 4656). |
| Permanent disability (PD) | Two-thirds of wages. $160 to $290 per week. Total weeks are set by your disability rating. | Paid until the award is satisfied. A life pension applies at 70 percent and up. |
| Medical care | 100 percent of approved treatment. No copay and no deductible. | For as long as the injury needs care (Labor Code 4600). |
| Medical mileage | 72.5 cents per mile driven to appointments and pharmacies (2026 rate). | Per trip. No annual cap. |
| Job retraining voucher (SJDB) | $6,000 toward school or training if you cannot return to your old job. | One voucher per injury (Labor Code 4658.7). |
| Death benefits | $250,000 to $320,000 to surviving dependents, plus up to $10,000 for burial. | Paid to dependents (Labor Code 4702). |
How much does temporary disability pay while I am off work?
Temporary disability pays two-thirds of your average weekly wage, from $264.61 to $1,764.11 a week in 2026, while a doctor keeps you off work.
Temporary disability, or TD, replaces part of your wages while you heal and cannot work. The math is simple. You get two-thirds of your average weekly wage, based on what you earned before the injury (Labor Code 4453). If you earned a lot, the law caps the check. If you earned very little, the law raises it to a floor.
California sets new floor and ceiling amounts every January. The 2026 rates went up about five percent from 2025 because the state average wage rose.
| Temporary disability weekly rate | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | $252.03 | $264.61 |
| Maximum | $1,680.29 | $1,764.11 |
Your first check is due within 14 days after your employer learns you are hurt and off work. If it shows up late, the law adds a 10 percent penalty on top. TD usually runs for up to 104 weeks within a five-year window (Labor Code 4656). A few serious conditions, like severe burns or chronic lung disease, get a longer 240-week limit.
How much is a permanent disability award worth?
Permanent disability pays $160 to $290 a week in 2026. Your total depends on a disability rating from 1 to 100 percent set by a doctor.
If your injury leaves you with lasting limits after you heal, you get permanent disability, or PD. A doctor assigns a rating from 1 to 100 percent. That percentage decides how many weeks of PD you receive (Labor Code 4658). A higher rating means more weeks and more money.
The weekly PD rate runs from $160 to $290. That ceiling has held steady for years, so the size of your award is driven mostly by your rating, not the weekly number. A 20 percent rating and a 60 percent rating both pay up to $290 a week, but the higher rating pays for far more weeks.
Two things can change the total. First, if your employer does not offer you suitable work, each remaining payment can rise by 15 percent. Second, a rating of 70 percent or higher unlocks a life pension, a smaller check that continues for the rest of your life after the main award is paid.
What does workers' comp pay for medical care?
Workers' comp covers 100 percent of approved medical care with no copay, for as long as your work injury needs treatment.
Every dollar of approved treatment for your work injury is covered (Labor Code 4600). You pay nothing. That includes doctor visits, surgery, physical therapy, prescriptions, and medical equipment. The care has to follow the state treatment guidelines, and the insurer can review requests, but the cost is never yours.
Even while the insurer investigates a new claim, the law requires it to authorize up to $10,000 in treatment right away so your care does not stall. You also get paid back for travel. The 2026 medical mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile for trips to appointments, the pharmacy, and evaluations.
What other money does California workers' comp provide?
Beyond wage checks and medical care, you may get a $6,000 retraining voucher, mileage, and, in a death case, benefits up to $320,000 for dependents.
If your injury keeps you from returning to your old job and your employer cannot offer suitable new work, you qualify for a Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit. That is a $6,000 voucher for retraining, schooling, tools, or licensing (Labor Code 4658.7).
In the worst cases, when a worker dies from a job injury, California pays death benefits to the family. The amount depends on how many people depended on the worker.
| Surviving dependents | Death benefit (2026) |
|---|---|
| One total dependent | $250,000 |
| Two total dependents | $290,000 |
| Three or more total dependents | $320,000 |
| Burial expenses (added) | Up to $10,000 |
None of these benefits are taxed as income, and you never pay an attorney up front. A workers' comp lawyer is paid a contingency fee that a judge must approve, usually around 15 percent of what is recovered, and only if you win benefits.
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Insurers often undercount your average weekly wage, which lowers every check. A local Certified Specialist can correct the wage figure and recover the difference.
The single number that drives almost every benefit on this page is your average weekly wage. When that figure is too low, your temporary disability check, your permanent disability award, and your life pension all shrink with it. Insurers routinely leave out overtime, second jobs, bonuses, and the value of lost benefits when they set it. Fixing the wage calculation is one of the most direct ways to raise what you take home.
Yazdchi Law represents injured workers across the Antelope Valley, the San Fernando Valley, and Greater Los Angeles, with appearances at the WCAB district offices in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Pomona, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Oxnard. Eman Yazdchi is a Certified Specialist in workers' compensation law, certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California, a credential held by fewer than one percent of California attorneys.
If your checks feel too small, or they stopped, call (661) 273-1780 for a free review. There is no fee unless we recover benefits for you.
Related questions
Keep reading to understand your California workers' comp benefits, your medical rights, and your next step after an injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my workers' comp check taxable in California?
No. Temporary disability, permanent disability, and other workers' compensation benefits are not taxed as income, either by California or the federal government. You keep the full amount of every check. The one exception is if you also receive Social Security disability, where a small offset can apply. Your weekly comp check itself is not reported as taxable wages.
How long do temporary disability payments last?
For most injuries, temporary disability is paid for up to 104 weeks, and those weeks must fall within five years of your injury date (Labor Code 4656). A short list of serious conditions, such as severe burns, chronic lung disease, or amputations, qualifies for a longer 240-week limit. Payments stop sooner if your doctor says you can return to work or declares your condition permanent and stationary.
When does workers' comp start paying me?
Your first temporary disability payment is due within 14 days after your employer learns about your injury and your time off work (Labor Code 4650). After that, checks come every two weeks. If a payment is late, the insurer owes you an automatic 10 percent penalty on the overdue amount. There is a short three-day waiting period for the first few days off, but that is waived if you are hospitalized or off work more than 14 days.
How much does permanent disability pay per percentage point?
There is no flat dollar value per point, because each point of your rating buys more weeks of benefits at the $160 to $290 weekly rate. Low ratings pay a few weeks. As the rating climbs, the number of weeks rises faster, so a 50 percent rating is worth far more than twice a 25 percent rating. At 70 percent and above, you also receive a life pension on top of the scheduled award.
Does workers' comp pay if I can never work again?
Yes. A 100 percent permanent disability rating, called permanent total disability, pays at your temporary disability rate for the rest of your life, up to $1,764.11 a week in 2026. Ratings between 70 and 99 percent pay the full scheduled award plus a lifelong life pension. Proving total disability usually takes strong medical evidence, which is where an attorney makes the biggest difference.
What if my employer has no workers' comp insurance?
You are still covered. California runs the Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund (Labor Code 3716) to pay benefits when an employer illegally fails to carry insurance. You can also pursue the employer directly, and the business faces serious penalties. Do not assume you have no claim just because the company has no policy. The same medical and wage benefits remain available to you.
How much does a workers' comp lawyer cost in California?
Nothing up front. Workers' comp attorneys work on a contingency fee, paid only out of the benefits they recover for you. A workers' comp judge must approve the fee, and it usually runs around 15 percent of the disputed amount. If no benefits are recovered, you owe no fee. This is why a free consultation costs you nothing and carries no risk.
Last reviewed by Eman Yazdchi, Esq., June 2026.
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