Kentucky Workers’ Comp Weekly Benefit Calculator (2026 Complete Guide)
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. I am not a lawyer. Consult a licensed workers’ comp attorney in your state.
Quick Answer
In Kentucky, workers’ comp pays 66.67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), up to the current state maximum of approximately $1,179.62 per week (110% of Kentucky’s State Average Weekly Wage of ~$1,072.38, as published by the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims for the applicable benefit year). Your minimum benefit floor depends on your AWW and injury date. Always verify the current maximum directly with the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims (DWC) before relying on any figure — the DWC updates the SAWW annually.
From Shane: What 66.67% Actually Feels Like
Look, I’m going to be straight with you. When I got hurt the first time in 2011, I had no idea what a workers’ comp check would actually cover. Two-thirds of your income sounds workable until you sit down and realize your mortgage doesn’t care about your injury. Your car payment doesn’t care. Your utilities don’t care.
Here’s what I learned the hard way across three injuries: your first financial move, before anything else, is to figure out your exact AWW number yourself — before the insurance adjuster calls you with theirs. Because I promise you, in my experience and in the experience of nearly every injured worker I’ve talked to since starting this project, the adjuster’s number is almost always lower than it should be. Sometimes it’s an honest mistake. Often it isn’t.
The 26-week lookback period, how overtime gets counted, whether your second job gets included — these aren’t small details. They can be the difference between $600 and $900 a week. Over a six-month recovery, that’s $5,200. I’m not exaggerating when I say this math is worth fighting for.
The Exact Kentucky AWW Formula
Kentucky Revised Statutes §342.140 governs how your Average Weekly Wage is calculated. The standard method uses a 26-week lookback — specifically, your gross earnings in the 26 calendar weeks immediately before your injury, divided by the number of weeks you actually worked in that period.
The Core Formula
AWW = Total Gross Wages in Last 26 Weeks ÷ Number of Weeks Worked
Weekly Benefit = AWW × 0.6667
Weekly Benefit (capped) = min(Weekly Benefit, State Maximum)
What Gets Included in Your AWW
| Income Type | Included in AWW? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regular hourly wages | ✅ Yes | All hours, all pay periods |
| Overtime wages | ✅ Yes | Full gross amount, not base rate |
| Bonuses (regular/production) | ✅ Yes | If customary and recurring |
| Holiday pay | ✅ Yes | Included in gross wages |
| Second job wages | ✅ Yes | If employer knew you held a second job |
| Tips | ✅ Yes | If reported and documented |
| Sporadic/one-time bonuses | ⚠️ Case-by-case | Must argue regularity |
| Fringe benefits (health insurance) | ❌ No | Not wage income |
| Expense reimbursements | ❌ No | Not wage income |
Critical rule on second jobs: Under Kentucky case law, wages from a second employer are only included if your primary employer had knowledge you were working that second job at the time of injury. Document this. If your boss knew you worked weekends somewhere else, that income belongs in your AWW calculation.
Pre-Calculated Kentucky Weekly Benefit Table
All figures below use the 66.67% rate. Benefits above the state maximum (~$1,179.62) are capped. Verify the current cap with the Kentucky DWC.
| Gross Weekly Wage | Your Weekly Benefit (66.67%) | Approx. Monthly Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| $300 | $200.01 | $866.71 |
| $400 | $266.68 | $1,155.61 |
| $500 | $333.35 | $1,444.52 |
| $600 | $400.02 | $1,733.42 |
| $700 | $466.69 | $2,022.32 |
| $800 | $533.36 | $2,311.23 |
| $900 | $600.03 | $2,600.13 |
| $1,000 | $666.70 | $2,889.03 |
| $1,100 | $733.37 | $3,177.94 |
| $1,200 | $800.04 | $3,466.84 |
| $1,300 | $866.71 | $3,755.74 |
| $1,400 | $933.38 | $4,044.65 |
| $1,500 | $1,000.05 | $4,333.55 |
| $1,600 | $1,066.72 | $4,622.45 |
| $1,700 | $1,133.39 | $4,911.36 |
| $1,768+ | $1,179.62 (CAPPED) | $5,111.69 |
| $1,800 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $1,900 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,000 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,100 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,200 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,300 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,400 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,500 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,600 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,700 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,800 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $2,900 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
| $3,000 | $1,179.62 (capped) | $5,111.69 |
Monthly figures calculated as weekly benefit × 4.333 (average weeks per month). State maximum applies to 2024–2025 benefit year; verify annually.
What the Law Says vs. What Actually Happens
The Law Says: Use 26 Weeks of Gross Wages
What actually happens: Adjusters frequently use only straight-time wages, stripping out overtime. I have seen this happen. It is not rare. If you worked 50-hour weeks and the adjuster sends you a calculation based on 40-hour weeks of base pay, your AWW is wrong.
The Law Says: Count All Weeks Worked
What actually happens: If you had a week with zero hours due to a plant shutdown, slow season, or unpaid leave, adjusters sometimes divide your total wages by 26 regardless of how many weeks you actually worked. Kentucky statute requires dividing by weeks actually worked, not the full 26-week calendar period. This is one of the most common underpayment errors.
Example: You earned $25,000 over 26 weeks but were laid off for 3 weeks during that period. You only worked 23 weeks.
– Correct AWW: $25,000 ÷ 23 = $1,086.96
– Adjuster’s (wrong) AWW: $25,000 ÷ 26 = $961.54
– Difference in weekly benefit: $83.62/week
Over a 26-week claim, that error costs you $2,174.12.
Real Case Example: Fluctuating Hours + Overtime
Worker: Marcus, union pipe insulator, Jefferson County, KY. Injured his back on October 14, 2024.
His last 26 weeks of pay stubs showed:
– 21 weeks worked (5 weeks off: 2 weather shutdowns, 1 vacation, 2 slow weeks)
– Total gross earnings: $34,450
– That total included $6,200 in overtime wages
Step 1 — Calculate AWW correctly:
$34,450 ÷ 21 weeks worked = $1,640.48 AWW
Step 2 — Apply 66.67% rate:
$1,640.48 × 0.6667 = $1,093.77/week
Step 3 — Apply state maximum cap:
$1,093.77 is below the ~$1,179.62 cap → Full benefit of $1,093.77/week applies
What the adjuster originally calculated:
Stripped overtime, used 26-week divisor: ($28,250 ÷ 26) × 0.6667 = $724.01/week
Weekly underpayment: $369.76/week
Over 26 weeks: $9,613.76 in lost benefits
Marcus caught this by pulling his own pay stubs and doing the math before the adjuster’s paperwork arrived. His attorney corrected the record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Kentucky workers’ comp pay for all 7 days a week, or just workdays?
Direct Answer: Kentucky temporary total disability (TTD) benefits pay a flat weekly rate — it covers your 7-day week, not individual workdays. There is no per-day breakdown.
Detailed Explanation: Under KRS §342.730, your weekly benefit is exactly that — a weekly figure. Whether you’re off work for a full week or a partial week depends on whether you’ve exceeded the waiting period. Kentucky has a 7-calendar-day waiting period before benefits begin. If your disability lasts 14 days or longer, those first 7 days are paid retroactively. If you’re back to work before day 14, you receive nothing for the initial waiting period. This retroactive trigger is important — don’t assume you missed those first 7 days just because no check arrived immediately. Track your return-to-work date carefully. If you miss day 14 by even one day because an employer pressures you back early before you’re medically cleared, you could lose that retroactive first-week payment permanently.
Q: Can my benefit check be reduced if I have a pre-existing condition?
Direct Answer: Yes. Kentucky applies an apportionment rule under KRS §342.120 that can reduce your award based on pre-existing conditions or prior active injuries.
Detailed Explanation: Apportionment in Kentucky means the insurance carrier can argue that a portion of your current disability is attributable to a pre-existing injury or occupational disease, not the current workplace event. This is one of the most hotly contested areas in Kentucky workers’ comp. The burden of proof matters enormously here. The employer must present medical evidence — typically from an Independent Medical Examiner (IME) or from your own prior medical records — to support any apportionment reduction. An IME that says “40% of this disability is pre-existing” can legally cut your award by 40%. This is exactly why you need an attorney before any IME appointment. The IME doctor is hired by the insurance company. They are not your doctor. Do not assume their report will be fair, and do not give extended recorded statements about prior injuries without legal counsel. I learned this lesson in 2015. It cost me real money.
Q: What if I was a part-time employee — how does Kentucky calculate my AWW?
Direct Answer: Part-time workers use the same 26-week gross wage lookback formula. If your hours were consistently part-time, your AWW will reflect that lower income base.
Detailed Explanation: Kentucky statute does not carve out a special calculation method for part-time workers. Your AWW is your actual earnings divided by actual weeks worked. However, if you were part-time involuntarily — meaning you wanted full-time work but your employer limited your hours — there may be grounds to argue for a higher AWW based on your wage-earning capacity rather than your literal wages. This is a litigated area, not a guaranteed outcome, but it’s an argument that has been made successfully in Kentucky ALJ hearings. Document everything: did you request more hours? Were you limited by scheduling, not by choice? Your attorney can build that record. For voluntary part-time workers (students, those with caregiving responsibilities who chose part-time), the actual-earnings method will almost certainly govern.
Q: Are workers’ comp benefits taxable in Kentucky?
Direct Answer: No. Workers’ compensation benefits in Kentucky — including TTD, permanent partial disability (PPD), and permanent total disability (PTD) payments — are not subject to federal or Kentucky state income tax under IRC §104(a)(1).
Detailed Explanation: This is one of the few places the system genuinely works in your favor. Your weekly benefit check arrives with no federal withholding, no Kentucky income tax withholding, and no FICA deductions. This means your effective replacement rate is actually higher than the nominal 66.67% suggests, because your pre-injury wages were taxed and your benefits aren’t. Roughly speaking
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