What Is Temporary Partial Disability?
Temporary partial disability (TPD) is a workers' comp benefit for injured workers who can do some work while they heal, but earn less than before.
Common situations that trigger TPD:
- Your doctor releases you to light duty at a lower hourly rate
- You are limited to part-time hours
- You lose overtime you regularly worked before the injury
- You move to a different, lower-paying job within your restrictions
TPD makes up part of that lost pay. You keep your paycheck, and workers' comp adds a weekly check on top.
How TPD Is Calculated
- Find your pre-injury average weekly wage (AWW), including overtime and second jobs.
- Subtract what you earn now each week.
- Multiply the difference by your state's rate (66.67% in most states).
- Cap the result at your state's 2026 weekly maximum.
Lost wages: $1,000 - $600 = $400.
TPD: $400 × 66.67% = $267 per week.
Total weekly income: $600 + $267 = $867.
Because your pay can change week to week, TPD is usually recalculated every pay period. Keep copies of every pay stub and send them to the adjuster on time.
TTD vs. TPD vs. PPD vs. PTD
Workers' comp has four main wage benefits. Here is how they compare.
| Benefit | When it applies | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
| TTDTemporary Total Disability | You cannot work at all while you heal. | About 2/3 of your AWW, up to the state max. |
| TPDTemporary Partial Disability | You can work light duty or fewer hours, but earn less. | About 2/3 of the wages you lose. |
| PPDPermanent Partial Disability | You have a lasting impairment after MMI. | Weekly rate × scheduled weeks × impairment %. |
| PTDPermanent Total Disability | You can never return to any gainful work. | About 2/3 of your AWW, often for life. |
What About Permanent Total Disability (PTD)?
PTD is for workers who can never return to any suitable job. It is the most valuable benefit and also the rarest.
- Usually pays about two-thirds of your AWW, up to the state maximum
- Often paid for life or until retirement age, depending on the state
- Some states presume PTD for the loss of both eyes, hands, arms, or legs
- Nearly always disputed, and often resolved through a lump-sum settlement
If your doctor says you may never work again, get a free claim review before accepting any offer.
Common TPD Underpayment Mistakes
- Low AWW. The carrier left out overtime, bonuses, or second-job pay, shrinking the wage gap.
- Late or missing payments. TPD checks stop when pay stubs are not processed.
- Wrong week used. A high-earning week is used as "current earnings" for every week.
- Early cutoff. Benefits end before you reach MMI or your state's week limit.
Light Duty, Work Restrictions, and Your TPD Check
A valid light-duty offer should fit the written restrictions from your treating doctor. Compare the job's lifting, standing, reaching, schedule, location, and pay with those restrictions before you accept or refuse it. If the employer has no suitable work, many state systems continue full temporary total disability instead of switching the worker to TPD. If suitable work is available and refused, the insurer may ask to reduce or suspend wage benefits.
- Ask for the job duties, hours, wage, and start date in writing.
- Give the offer to your doctor if any duty appears outside your restrictions.
- Keep every pay stub because changing hours can change the TPD amount each week.
- Report bonuses, tips, overtime, and income from another job when your state requires it.
Family and medical leave or a disability accommodation may protect your job, but those programs do not calculate the workers' comp payment. TPD remains a wage-loss benefit governed by state law. Use the calculator as an estimate, then compare it with the payment notice and your actual gross earnings for the same pay period.
Workers' Comp Calculators by State
Pick your state for benefit caps, weekly rate, and a state-specific calculator.
Related calculators and guides
Keep going with the tool that matches your stage of the claim.
Weekly benefit, PPD, and settlement in one place.
What your weekly temporary disability check should be.
Scheduled weeks and permanent impairment awards.
Federal employee FECA award by body part.
Lump-sum value of your full claim.
Turn a 5%, 10%, or 20% rating into dollars.
Max and min weekly rates for all 50 states.
Typical settlement ranges by injury and state.
Average settlement for fusion, rotator cuff, knee replacement, and more.
Why comp does not pay it, and when a third-party claim does.
When carriers typically make an offer.
What coverage costs by class code and payroll.
Guides, state updates, and claim strategy.
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Lumbar disc herniation and fusion values.
Rotator cuff, labrum, and replacements.
Meniscus tears, ACL, and knee replacement.
Amputations, crush injuries, and nerve damage.
Carpal tunnel, fractures, ligament tears, and fusion.
Concussion and traumatic brain injury claims.
TPD FAQ
What does temporary partial disability mean?+
Temporary partial disability (TPD) means your work injury still limits you, but you can do some work while you heal. You might be on light duty, working fewer hours, or earning less in a different role. TPD pays part of the wages you lose because of those limits. It is temporary because it stops when you recover, reach Maximum Medical Improvement, or hit your state's time limit.
How is TPD calculated?+
Most states pay two-thirds (66.67%) of the difference between your pre-injury average weekly wage and what you earn now. If you earned $1,000 per week before the injury and now earn $600, the difference is $400. Your TPD benefit is about $267 per week, paid on top of your $600 paycheck. The benefit cannot exceed your state's weekly maximum.
Can you get partial disability and still work?+
Yes. That is the whole point of TPD. You keep working within your doctor's restrictions, and workers' comp makes up part of the pay you lose. You must report your actual earnings to the insurance company, usually every week or every pay period, so they can calculate the right amount.
How long does temporary partial disability last?+
TPD lasts until you return to your full pre-injury wage, reach Maximum Medical Improvement, or hit your state's cap. Many states limit TPD to a set number of weeks. For example, California limits temporary disability to 104 weeks within 5 years of the injury, and Florida limits TPD to 104 weeks combined with TTD. Other states allow 300 to 500 weeks.
What is the difference between TTD, TPD, PPD, and PTD?+
TTD (temporary total) pays when you cannot work at all while healing. TPD (temporary partial) pays when you can work but earn less while healing. PPD (permanent partial) pays for a lasting impairment after you reach Maximum Medical Improvement. PTD (permanent total) pays when you can never return to any gainful work. Most claims move from TTD or TPD to a PPD award.
What is permanent total disability in workers' comp?+
Permanent total disability (PTD) is for workers who can never return to any suitable job because of a work injury. Some states presume PTD for losing both eyes, both hands, both arms, or both legs. PTD usually pays two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to the state maximum, often for life or until retirement age. It is rare and almost always contested, so an attorney review is strongly recommended.
What if my employer has no light-duty work for me?+
If your doctor releases you to light duty but your employer cannot offer a job within your restrictions, most states keep paying full TTD instead of TPD. If the employer offers suitable light duty and you refuse it, many states allow the carrier to reduce or suspend your benefits.