South Carolina Workers’ Comp Weekly Benefit Calculator (2026)
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 South Carolina before making any decisions about your claim.
Quick Answer
In South Carolina, workers’ comp pays 66.67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), up to the current state maximum of approximately $1,054.33 per week (100% of the South Carolina State Average Weekly Wage as published annually by the SC Department of Employment and Workforce). That cap applies to most claims filed in 2025–2026. If your calculated benefit is below that cap, you receive exactly 66.67% of your AWW — no state-mandated minimum applies to most South Carolina claims. Always verify the current SAWW directly with the SC Workers’ Compensation Commission before relying on any number, including mine.
From Shane
I got my first check after my 2011 injury and thought, “Okay, two-thirds of my pay. I can survive this.” What I didn’t plan for was that “two-thirds” on paper is not two-thirds of your actual take-home. Taxes on workers’ comp benefits are generally not withheld (they’re usually not taxable federally), which helps — but you lose your overtime, your bonuses, your side gigs. Your mortgage doesn’t drop 33%. Your groceries don’t drop 33%.
By my third injury in 2019, I had learned to treat the first check as a fire drill. Before that check arrived, I had a spreadsheet: fixed expenses, which bills had hardship deferral programs, and exactly how many weeks of reserves I had. I also had an attorney reviewing my AWW calculation before I signed anything — because by then I knew that’s where the real money gets stolen from you, quietly, before you even realize a theft occurred.
Don’t cash that first check and assume the math is right. Read this page first.
The Exact Calculation Formula
South Carolina workers’ comp benefits are governed by SC Code § 42-1-40. The formula is:
Average Weekly Wage (AWW) × 0.6667 = Weekly Compensation Benefit
If your result exceeds the SAWW cap (~$1,054.33), your benefit is capped at that amount.
How South Carolina Calculates Your AWW
Your AWW is typically calculated using your gross wages for the 13 calendar weeks immediately before your injury, then divided by 13. If you worked fewer than 13 weeks at that employer, the Commission uses the full number of weeks you actually worked.
| Wage Component | Included in AWW? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regular hourly wages | ✅ Yes | Core calculation basis |
| Overtime pay | ✅ Yes | Included in gross wages for each week |
| Bonuses | ✅ Yes (if regular) | Must be consistent/recurring, not one-time discretionary |
| Tips | ✅ Yes (if documented) | Reported tips included; cash tips are harder to prove |
| Second job wages | ✅ Yes (if employer knew) | SC courts have allowed inclusion when employer had knowledge |
| Per diem / expense reimbursements | ❌ No | Excluded as non-wage compensation |
| Employer-paid health insurance | ❌ No | Benefits, not wages |
Overtime is fully included. This is one of the most frequently exploited calculation errors — insurers sometimes average out weeks with no overtime and dilute your AWW. If you regularly worked 50-hour weeks, your AWW should reflect that.
Pre-Calculated Benefit Table: $300–$3,000 Weekly Wages
Benefits are calculated at 66.67% of AWW, capped at ~$1,054.33. Verify current SAWW for your claim date.
| Gross Weekly Wage | Calculated Benefit (66.67%) | Applies Cap? | Actual Weekly Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300 | $200.01 | No | $200.01 |
| $400 | $266.68 | No | $266.68 |
| $500 | $333.35 | No | $333.35 |
| $600 | $400.02 | No | $400.02 |
| $700 | $466.69 | No | $466.69 |
| $800 | $533.36 | No | $533.36 |
| $900 | $600.03 | No | $600.03 |
| $1,000 | $666.70 | No | $666.70 |
| $1,100 | $733.37 | No | $733.37 |
| $1,200 | $800.04 | No | $800.04 |
| $1,300 | $866.71 | No | $866.71 |
| $1,400 | $933.38 | No | $933.38 |
| $1,500 | $1,000.05 | No | $1,000.05 |
| $1,582 | $1,054.19 | At cap | ~$1,054.33 |
| $1,600 | $1,066.72 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $1,700 | $1,133.39 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $1,800 | $1,200.06 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $1,900 | $1,266.73 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,000 | $1,333.40 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,100 | $1,400.07 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,200 | $1,466.74 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,300 | $1,533.41 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,400 | $1,600.08 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,500 | $1,666.75 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,600 | $1,733.42 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,700 | $1,800.09 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,800 | $1,866.76 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $2,900 | $1,933.43 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
| $3,000 | $2,000.10 | ✅ Yes | $1,054.33 |
Cap figure based on the most recently published SC SAWW. Confirm your claim year’s cap at wcc.sc.gov.
What the Law Says vs. What Actually Happens
What the law says: Your AWW is calculated from your actual gross wages for the 13 weeks before your injury date, divided by 13. All regular wage components are included.
What actually happens:
- Insurers pull payroll records — but only the records they want you to see. I’ve seen cases where the adjuster conveniently “averaged” wages using a week when a worker was out sick, pulling the AWW down.
- Low-overtime weeks get weighted equally with high-overtime weeks. This is mathematically correct, but insurers sometimes exclude overtime weeks entirely and call your base rate your AWW.
- Second job income disappears. If you had a second job and your primary employer didn’t formally know about it, insurers will fight hard to exclude it. SC courts have allowed it where employers had constructive knowledge, but you need documentation.
- Bonuses get called “discretionary.” If your employer paid a quarterly bonus consistently for three years, it’s arguably regular compensation. Insurers label it discretionary to drop it from your AWW.
How to catch it: Pull your own 13-week gross wage history from your paystubs before the insurer submits their number. If there is any discrepancy, that is your first motion to file.
Real Case Example: Fluctuating Hours and Overtime
Worker: Marcus, a commercial electrician in Charleston, SC. Injured his back on November 3, 2024.
13 weeks of gross wages before injury:
| Week | Gross Wages |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | $1,640 |
| Week 2 | $1,480 |
| Week 3 | $1,720 |
| Week 4 | $1,390 |
| Week 5 | $1,810 |
| Week 6 | $920 (vacation — only 2 days worked) |
| Week 7 | $1,680 |
| Week 8 | $1,710 |
| Week 9 | $1,540 |
| Week 10 | $1,600 |
| Week 11 | $1,755 |
| Week 12 | $1,490 |
| Week 13 | $1,670 |
| Total | $20,405 |
AWW (insurer’s calculation): Insurer includes the vacation week (Week 6) in the denominator as-is.
→ $20,405 ÷ 13 = $1,569.62 AWW
→ Benefit: $1,569.62 × 0.6667 = $1,046.10/week
AWW (Marcus’s attorney argues): The vacation week is anomalous. Under SC precedent, weeks with abnormal hours can be adjusted or excluded. Attorney argues to substitute an average week for the vacation anomaly.
→ Average of the other 12 weeks: ($20,405 − $920) ÷ 12 = $1,624.58 AWW
→ Benefit: $1,624.58 × 0.6667 = $1,054.33/week (at cap)
Difference over 26 weeks of TTD: ($1,054.33 − $1,046.10) × 26 = $214 recovered. Small per week, but this same logic applied across a permanent partial disability award with a multiplier matters significantly more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many weeks can I receive temporary total disability (TTD) benefits in South Carolina?
Direct Answer: South Carolina does not impose a hard weekly cap on TTD benefits for the initial temporary period, but your employer/insurer can challenge your status and seek to end benefits when a physician places you at Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). Under SC Code § 42-9-10, total disability benefits run for the duration of disability, up to a lifetime maximum for total permanent disability. For temporary conditions, the practical limit is your treating physician’s determination of MMI, which triggers transition to a permanent impairment rating and a potential lump-sum settlement.
What this means in practice: once you’re placed at MMI, TTD payments stop. The insurer will push aggressively for an early MMI determination. Their authorized treating physician — who they chose — has financial incentives to reach MMI faster than your condition warrants. This is exactly why getting a second opinion from your own physician matters, even if it isn’t covered by the claim. Document every symptom, every functional limitation, and every conversation with your doctor. Request copies of your medical records regularly so you know what’s being written before you’re blindsided by an MMI designation at a hearing.
Q: Does South Carolina include overtime in the average weekly wage calculation?
Direct Answer: Yes. South Carolina’s AWW calculation uses gross wages, which explicitly includes overtime pay earned during the 13-week look-back period. This is established under SC Code § 42-1-40 and is confirmed by consistent SC Workers’ Compensation Commission decisions.
The trap is in the averaging. If you worked heavy overtime in 8 of 13 weeks but minimal overtime in 5, all 13 weeks are averaged together. Your AWW will be lower than your peak overtime weeks, but it will accurately reflect your actual earning pattern — which is the legal standard. Where workers get hurt is when insurers use a “regular rate” argument, claiming your base hourly rate is your true wage and overtime is a separate variable benefit. This argument is generally losing under South Carolina law, but that doesn’t stop adjusters from trying it. If your AWW calculation strips out overtime, that is an error worth challenging. Collect your paystubs for the 13 weeks immediately before your injury date. Calculate your own AWW. Compare it to the insurer’s number. If they differ, ask
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