Illinois Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How Illinois 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 Illinois
Instead of a percentage award, a worker who cannot return to the same occupation can seek a wage-differential award under 8(d)1; for injuries after 1 September 2011 it lasts until age 67 or 5 years after the award becomes final, whichever is later.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 66.67% of AWW |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $2,045.63 (2026-07-15 to 2027-01-14 (prior: $2,008.60 for 2026-01-15 to 2026-07-14; $1,974.73 for 2025-07-15 to 2026-01-14)) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | Lesser of AWW or $400 (0 dependents), $460 (1), $520 (2), $580 (3), $600 (4+); based on 66.67% of $15 x 40 hrs |
| Waiting period | 3 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
Assumes temporary total disability and no post-injury work earnings. It does not calculate partial disability, retroactive payments, offsets or special low-wage rules. Confirm the injury date and the insurer's wage calculation.
What each injury is worth
| Injury | How it is paid | Max award |
|---|---|---|
| Back | whole-person % × 500 weeks | $54,233 (10% rating) |
| Neck | whole-person % × 500 weeks | $54,233 (10% rating) |
| Shoulder | depends on how it is rated | — |
| Knee | 215 weeks (as the leg) | $233,202 |
| Arm | 253 weeks | $274,419 |
| Hand | 205 weeks | $222,355 |
| Thumb | 76 weeks | $82,434 |
| Index Finger | 43 weeks | $46,640 |
| Leg | 215 weeks | $233,202 |
| Foot | 167 weeks | $181,138 |
| Big Toe | 38 weeks | $41,217 |
| Eye | 172 weeks | $186,562 |
| Hearing Loss | 215 weeks | $233,202 |
Permanent injuries in general
% loss of the person as a whole × 500 weeks at 60% of AWW (rated using the five factors of 8.1b); alternatively a wage-differential award of 66.67% of lost earnings under 8(d)1.
Shoulder: confirm the applicable category first
Illinois lists the arm at 253 weeks (plus 70 weeks for amputation at the shoulder joint), but the statute does not say whether a shoulder injury is rated as the arm or as a percentage of the person as a whole (500 weeks). This is often disputed.
Shoulder injuries: identify the rating basis
For a rotator-cuff tear, fracture or other shoulder condition, request the final report on range of motion, strength and work restrictions. Check whether the state treats this claim as an arm loss, a whole-person impairment or another category. A shoulder percentage and an arm percentage are not automatically interchangeable.
The information available here does not by itself establish whether the claim uses an arm rating, a whole-person rating or lost-earnings benefits. Ask the agency or rating issuer to identify the category and the rule or guide used before valuing an offer. Do not enter a shoulder percentage into another rating unit without that confirmation.
Law and official sources
Includes secondary sources
Statute: 820 ILCS 305/8(b) (TTD), 305/8(d) and 305/8(e) (PPD schedule), 305/8.1b; 820 ILCS 305/8(d)1, 8(d)2, 8(e), 8.1b
- Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (official site)
- iwcc.illinois.gov/resources/resources-for/benefits.html
- ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/082003050K8.htm
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the Illinois 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.