New Jersey Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How New Jersey 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 New Jersey
To be compensable, permanent partial disability must be shown by objective medical evidence and materially lessen working ability; minor sprains, contusions, lacerations and minor scars are excluded. The weekly rate for a PPD award rises with the total number of weeks awarded, so larger awards pay a higher weekly amount.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 70% of AWW |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,199 (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31 (injuries in calendar year 2026)) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $320 (2026) |
| Waiting period | 7 days |
| Waiting days paid back after | 7 days of disability |
| Time limit on temporary benefits | 400 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.
How each injury is assessed
| Injury | How it is paid | Fixed permanent figure |
|---|---|---|
| Back | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Neck | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Shoulder | depends on how it is rated | — |
| Knee | 315 weeks (as the leg) | — |
| Arm | 330 weeks | — |
| Hand | 260 weeks | — |
| Thumb | 80 weeks | — |
| Index Finger | 60 weeks | — |
| Leg | 315 weeks | — |
| Foot | 250 weeks | — |
| Big Toe | 40 weeks | — |
| Eye | 200 weeks | — |
| Hearing Loss | 200 weeks | — |
Permanent injuries in general
disability rated as a percentage of total and permanent disability × 600 weeks at 70% of AWW (weekly max tiered by number of weeks awarded).
Injury rules and records in one guide
The injury determines which medical findings you need; the payment formula follows state rules. Use the sections below to identify the correct category before comparing an offer. Do not convert or combine body-part ratings yourself.
Arm injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 82.5 weeks.
Arm injuries: distinguish arm, hand and whole-person ratings
Ask which anatomical level and rating unit the doctor used. Records of elbow motion, grip, nerve function and lifting restrictions may describe different aspects of the injury. Confirm whether the award uses the arm schedule or a whole-person formula before entering a percentage; do not add overlapping ratings yourself.
Back injury
Not on the schedule; paid as a percentage of total permanent disability (percentage × 600 weeks).
Back injuries: information needed to value the claim
Separate the diagnosis (for example, a strain, disc injury or surgery) from the permanent rating. Ask for the medical report identifying the spinal region, any nerve involvement, lasting work restrictions and whether maximum medical improvement has been reached. A diagnosis or surgery alone is not a dollar amount.
Big Toe injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 10 weeks.
Big-toe injuries: use the correct toe category
Confirm that the report concerns the great toe and identifies any amputation level or partial loss of use. The rule for other toes may differ. Keep findings about balance, push-off when walking and footwear restrictions, and verify the rating unit before using a percentage.
Eye injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 50 weeks.
Eye injuries: confirm one eye, both eyes and the vision measure
Obtain the ophthalmology report and ask how corrected vision and other lasting visual effects were measured for the rating. One-eye and two-eye losses are different scenarios. The figure on this page is not a valuation of every kind of vision problem or a combined award for both eyes.
Foot injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 62.5 weeks.
Foot injuries: distinguish the foot from toes and the leg
For a fracture, crush injury or lasting ankle symptoms, request the report specifying the rated member. Walking tolerance, footwear needs and weight-bearing restrictions help explain the functional effects. Do not assume a toe percentage is a foot percentage or that an ankle diagnosis automatically uses the foot schedule.
Hand injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 65 weeks.
Hand injuries: document function and the affected member
Identify whether the report rates the entire hand, individual digits or an upper extremity. Keep findings about grip, sensation and dexterity, plus restrictions on tools or repetitive tasks. An isolated finger award and a hand award may follow different rules; this page does not calculate combinations of injuries.
Hearing Loss injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 50 weeks.
Hearing loss: check the audiogram and whether both ears are rated
Request the audiogram and the report explaining the hearing-loss percentage, which ear or ears it covers and how work-related exposure was assessed. Do not enter a one-ear rating into a two-ear formula. Tinnitus and hearing loss are not interchangeable inputs, and this calculator does not determine the medical rating.
Index Finger injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 15 weeks.
Index-finger injuries: verify the digit and loss level
The index finger is not interchangeable with another digit. Ask whether the report describes stiffness, tendon or nerve damage, or an amputation at a specific level. Verify whether the percentage is expressed for the finger, hand or whole person before applying the formula shown here.
Knee injury
Rated as partial loss of use of the leg (315 weeks); the statute has no knee-specific entry.
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 78.75 weeks.
Knee injuries: confirm whether the rating is for the leg
For a meniscus tear, ligament injury or knee replacement, obtain the final rating report and any restrictions on standing, kneeling and walking. Confirm the body part to which the percentage applies. If the rule uses a leg schedule, the calculation needs the applicable leg loss-of-use rating, not a guessed percentage based on the procedure.
Leg injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 78.75 weeks.
Leg injuries: confirm the member and lasting restrictions
Ask whether the report covers the leg, a particular joint or the whole person. Keep findings about walking, balance, limb length and restrictions on standing or lifting. Multiple injuries to the same limb need the applicable combination rules; adding their percentages can overstate the award.
Neck injury
Not on the schedule; paid as a percentage of total permanent disability (percentage × 600 weeks).
Neck injuries: check the cervical findings
Ask whether the rating report addresses the cervical spine alone or also documents arm symptoms and neurological findings. Keep the imaging report, treatment history and restrictions on lifting or turning your head. Do not enter an arm rating into a whole-person field without the applicable conversion.
Shoulder injury
New Jersey's schedule has no shoulder entry; it lists the arm (330 weeks). The statute does not say whether a shoulder is rated against the arm or as a percentage of total disability (600 weeks).
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.
Thumb injury
New Jersey's rule for the weekly rate on these awards: 70% AWW; weekly max depends on weeks awarded under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) table, top max $1,199 (2026), min $320.
If your doctor rates a partial loss of use, the award is generally that percentage of the scheduled weeks. A 25% rating works out to 20 weeks.
Thumb injuries: check loss of use versus amputation
Request the report describing the thumb joint or amputation level, remaining motion and ability to pinch. Total loss and partial loss of use are different inputs. Check the thumb-specific rule below; a thumb rating should not be substituted for a hand or whole-person rating without the required conversion.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: N.J.S.A. 34:15-12 (schedule of payments); N.J.S.A. 34:15-14 (waiting period); N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c) (schedule; percentage of total = portion of 600 weeks); N.J.S.A. 34:15-36 (definition of permanent partial disability)
- New Jersey Division of Workers' Compensation (Department of Labor and Workforce Development) (official site)
- nj.gov/labor/workerscompensation/assets/PDFs/Forms/2026_schedule.pdf
- nj.gov/labor/workerscompensation/assets/PDFs/Forms/2023_schedule.pdf
- nj.gov/labor/lwdhome/press/2025/20251229_newbenefitrates2026.shtml
- nj.gov/labor/assets/PDFs/Legal%20Notices/Notices of Proposal/57 N.J.R. 1922_a_.pdf
- law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-34/section-34-15-14/
- law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-34/section-34-15-12/
- law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-34/section-34-15-36/
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the New Jersey 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.