How much will I get paid for a work injury?

If you get injured at work in South Carolina, your employer probably has workers’ compensation insurance that will pay for your injury. Most employers are required to carry this insurance on workers. Often, injuries are severe enough that you miss at least some time on the job. You probably want to know if you will be paid for that time off. When it comes to workers’ compensation, the Workers’ Compensation Commission explains that you can get paid, but there are limitations to those payments.

To begin with, you have to have at least seven days off to be paid for any time off. Your employer may allow you to use other paid time off if you do not reach the seven-day requirement. If you do reach seven days, you will get paid starting on the eighth day. You will not get paid for the first seven days you have off unless you miss more than 14 days. This is a pretty standard requirement that most states workers’ compensation systems follow.

If you do qualify to be paid for time off due to your injury, workers’ compensation benefits will be 66 2/3 percent of your normal pay. This means your pay without overtime or other additional pay that may be added onto your normal salary or hourly rate. The pay is based on your average weekly pay in the time preceding your injury. There is also a limit set by the state for the maximum weekly average pay, so even if you make more, you can only get paid based on that maximum set amount. So, you will always be bringing in less than you would if you were at work and working as normal. This information is for education and is not legal advice.