North Dakota Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How North Dakota pays injured workers: the weekly rate while you recover, the 2026 maximum, and what each type of permanent injury is worth, with the statute behind each number.
What is different in North Dakota
North Dakota pays no permanent impairment award unless the whole-body rating is at least 14%; the award is a one-time amount, not a periodic payment. Amputations such as the leg at the hip (234) or at/above the knee (195) have fixed multipliers.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 66.67% of gross AWW (not to exceed net/spendable wages after federal income tax and Social Security) |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,614 (2026-07-01 to 2027-06-30) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $775 (60% SAWW), or net wages if lower |
| Waiting period | 5 days |
| Waiting days paid back after | 5 days of disability |
| Time limit on temporary benefits | No fixed week limit in statute |
Estimate your weekly check
What each injury is worth
| Injury | How it is paid | Max award |
|---|---|---|
| Back | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Neck | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Shoulder | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Knee | a multiplier of 234 (as the leg) | — |
| Arm | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Hand | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Thumb | a multiplier of 65 | — |
| Index Finger | a multiplier of 40 | — |
| Leg | a multiplier of 234 | — |
| Foot | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Big Toe | a multiplier of 30 | — |
| Eye | a multiplier of 150 | — |
| Hearing Loss | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
Permanent injuries in general
whole-body impairment % (AMA Guides, 6th ed.) converted to a statutory multiplier (14% = 10, 25% = 35, 50% = 260, 100% = 1500); award = multiplier × 35% of the state average weekly wage; no award below 14%.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: N.D.C.C. §65-05-09 (TTD), §65-05-12.2 (permanent impairment), §65-05-09.3 (retirement limits); N.D.C.C. §65-05-12.2
- North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) (official site)
- workforcesafety.com/about-wsi/reports/north-dakota-weekly-benefit-levels
- workforcesafety.com/employees/benefits-services/wage-loss-benefits
- ndlegis.gov/cencode/t65c05.pdf
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the North Dakota workers' compensation agency.
Estimate only. Your real award depends on your doctor's rating, your wage records, offsets and settlement terms. This page is general information, not legal advice.