Massachusetts Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
Select the injury-date period before calculating
Static figures and examples show this table's current period. The selector changes calculator maximums and minimums. It does not use the payment date or automatically apply cost-of-living adjustments. For other dates, check with the agency.
| Injury date | Temporary weekly maximum | Permanent weekly maximum, where applicable |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 – 2027-09-30 | $2,007.20 | — |
| 2025-10-01 – 2026-09-30 | $1,922.48 | — |
How Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts does not pay weeks per body part: Sec. 36 specific-loss awards are a one-time lump sum equal to the state average weekly wage times a statutory multiplier, paid on top of weekly wage-loss benefits. Disfigurement awards (up to $15,000) are limited to the face, neck or hands when purely scar-based.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 60% of AWW |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $2,007.20 (2026-10-01 to 2027-09-30) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $401.44; or actual wage if lower |
| Waiting period | 5 days |
| Waiting days paid back after | 21 days of disability |
| Time limit on temporary benefits | 156 weeks |
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 | wage loss | — |
| Neck | wage loss | — |
| Shoulder | wage loss | — |
| Knee | 39 × the state average weekly wage (as the leg) | $78,280.80 |
| Arm | 43 × the state average weekly wage | $86,309.60 |
| Hand | 34 × the state average weekly wage | $68,244.80 |
| Thumb | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Index Finger | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Leg | 39 × the state average weekly wage | $78,280.80 |
| Foot | 29 × the state average weekly wage | $58,208.80 |
| Big Toe | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Eye | 39 × the state average weekly wage | $78,280.80 |
| Hearing Loss | 77 × the state average weekly wage | $154,554.40 |
Permanent injuries in general
Massachusetts has no single whole-body percentage formula. Besides §35 lost-earnings benefits, §36(1)(j) allows an authority-determined award for other permanent losses of function, subject to its limits. An injury not named in the table does not automatically have a zero permanent award.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: M.G.L. c. 152 ss. 29, 34, 35, 36, 1(10); M.G.L. c. 152 §§ 35, 36 (incl. 36(i) partial loss, 36(j) bodily function, 36(k) disfigurement)
- Department of Industrial Accidents (official site)
- mass.gov/info-details/minimum-and-maximum-compensation-rates
- law.justia.com/codes/massachusetts/part-i/title-xxi/chapter-152/section-34/
- law.justia.com/codes/massachusetts/part-i/title-xxi/chapter-152/section-29/
- law.justia.com/codes/massachusetts/part-i/title-xxi/chapter-152/section-36/
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the Massachusetts 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.