Pennsylvania Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has no award for partial impairment: specific loss benefits require total loss or permanent loss of use of the body part (plus a healing period), and everything else is paid on wage loss.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 66.67% of AWW (tiered: 90% of AWW for low earners; flat 50% SAWW for middle band) |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,394 (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | 90% of AWW if AWW <= $774.43; $697 if AWW $774.44-$1,045.50; 66.67% AWW above that (2026) |
| Waiting period | 7 days |
| Waiting days paid back after | 14 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 | wage loss | — |
| Neck | wage loss | — |
| Shoulder | wage loss | — |
| Knee | wage loss | — |
| Arm | 410 weeks | $571,540 |
| Hand | 335 weeks | $466,990 |
| Thumb | 100 weeks | $139,400 |
| Index Finger | 50 weeks | $69,700 |
| Leg | 410 weeks | $571,540 |
| Foot | 250 weeks | $348,500 |
| Big Toe | 40 weeks | $55,760 |
| Eye | 275 weeks | $383,350 |
| Hearing Loss | 260 weeks | $362,440 |
Permanent injuries in general
no impairment-based award; partial disability pays 66 2/3% of the difference between pre-injury wages and post-injury earnings, up to 500 weeks.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: 77 P.S. §511 (Act §306(a) TTD), §511.3 (§306(a.3) impairment rating), §512 (§306(b) partial), §513 (§306(c) specific loss), §514 (§306(e) waiting period); 77 P.S. §513 (§306(c) specific loss); §512 (§306(b) partial disability); §511.3 (§306(a.3) impairment rating)
- Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers' Compensation (Department of Labor & Industry) (official site)
- pa.gov/agencies/dli/programs-services/workers-compensation/workers--compensation-claim/sta
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-77-ps-workers-compensation/pa-st-sect-77-513.html
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the Pennsylvania 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.