What Is Temporary Total Disability (TTD)?
Temporary Total Disability is the most common workers' compensation benefit. It pays you a weekly wage replacement when a work injury keeps you from doing any part of your job. TTD is designed to cover the gap between the day you get hurt and the day you return to work — or reach Maximum Medical Improvement.
Most states pay 66.67% of your average weekly wage. That fraction comes from the original intent of workers' comp law: replace two-thirds of your lost income while protecting your employer from excessive liability. The other third is the tradeoff built into the system.
A handful of states break from that standard. Alaska, Maine, and Michigan pay 80% of after-tax wages. Connecticut pays 75% of gross wages. Massachusetts and Washington pay 60%. Knowing your state's rate is step one. Knowing whether the carrier is using it correctly is step two.
How TTD Is Calculated — Step by Step
Step 1: Calculate your average weekly wage (AWW)
Add all gross earnings from the 52 weeks before your injury. Include base pay, overtime, bonuses, commissions, shift differentials, and income from any second job you held at the time of the injury. Divide the total by 52. That number is your AWW.
Step 2: Apply your state's benefit rate
Multiply your AWW by your state's percentage. In most states: AWW × 0.6667. In Michigan: after-tax AWW × 0.80. In Connecticut: AWW × 0.75.
Step 3: Apply the state maximum cap
If the result exceeds your state's weekly maximum, your benefit is capped. Georgia's cap is $675. Missouri's is $2,350. Illinois sits at $2,008. Higher earners hit the cap and receive an effective replacement rate lower than two-thirds.
Step 4: Apply any state minimum
Most states set a floor on weekly TTD. In New York the minimum is $325 per week. In Indiana it's $75. In some states, workers who earn below the minimum receive their full AWW instead.
What Counts as Your Average Weekly Wage
This is where most underpayment errors happen. By law, AWW must include:
- Regular hourly wages or salary
- Overtime pay (including regular, voluntary overtime)
- Bonuses received in the 52-week period
- Commissions and piece-rate earnings
- Shift differentials (night pay, hazard pay)
- Income from a second job you held at the time of injury (in most states)
- Seasonal or irregular pay, averaged over the full year
Insurance carriers routinely omit overtime and second-job income. If you worked overtime every week and the carrier calculated AWW using only your base rate, your weekly check is underpaid. That error compounds across every week of your claim.
How Long Does TTD Last?
TTD continues until one of three things happens:
- You return to work at your pre-injury wage capacity
- Your doctor releases you to return to work (even light duty)
- You reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)
Some states also cap the total number of TTD weeks. California limits TTD to 104 weeks within a 5-year period from the date of injury. Florida limits TTD to 104 weeks as well. Other states like New York allow TTD to continue past 104 weeks in severe cases.
Once TTD ends, your permanent impairment rating determines whether you receive a PPD award. Use the PPD Calculator to estimate that amount.
Signs You May Be Receiving Less Than You Should
Check your weekly benefit against this calculator. If there is a gap, these are the most common causes:
AWW calculated incorrectly. The carrier excluded overtime, bonuses, or second-job income. This is the most frequent source of underpayment — and the easiest to challenge with pay stubs.
Wrong benefit rate applied. Some carriers apply a lower percentage than state law requires, especially in states with tiered rates.
Wrong state cap applied. Caps update annually. A carrier using the prior year's cap will underpay.
Misclassification of injury type. If the carrier classified your injury as a partial disability when it is actually a total disability, your benefit rate may be lower than it should be.
A workers' comp attorney can audit your claim calculation at no cost. If you are being underpaid, they can pursue the difference — and most work on contingency, meaning you owe nothing unless they recover money for you.
Workers' Comp Calculators by State
Pick your state for benefit caps, weekly rate, and a state-specific calculator.
TTD FAQ
How is temporary total disability calculated?+
Temporary total disability is calculated by multiplying your average weekly wage by your state's benefit rate, then capping the result at the state's weekly maximum. In most states the rate is 66.67%. AWW is your total gross earnings in the 52 weeks before the injury, divided by 52, and must include overtime, bonuses, and income from any second job. A worker with a $1,000 AWW in California receives $667 per week.
Can the insurance company cut off my TTD benefits?+
Yes. Carriers can terminate TTD when your doctor releases you to return to work, when you reach Maximum Medical Improvement, or when you return to work at full wages. Many states also allow carriers to suspend benefits if you refuse suitable light-duty work your doctor approves. If your benefits are cut off and you believe the reason is wrong, you have the right to dispute the decision through your state workers' compensation board.
What happens to TTD if I return to light duty?+
If you return to work in a light-duty capacity at reduced hours or lower pay, your TTD converts to Temporary Partial Disability (TPD). TPD pays two-thirds of the difference between your pre-injury wage and your current reduced earnings. If you earned $1,000 per week before the injury and now earn $600 on light duty, the wage difference is $400, and your TPD benefit is approximately $267 per week on top of your $600 light-duty pay.
Does TTD cover weekends and holidays?+
Yes. TTD benefits replace a percentage of your weekly wage, not just workdays. Benefits are calculated on a 7-day week basis. Most states include a waiting period — typically 3 to 7 days — before TTD begins. If your disability extends past a certain threshold (usually 7 to 21 days depending on the state), the waiting period is retroactively paid.
Is there a waiting period before I start receiving TTD?+
Yes. Nearly every state has a waiting period of 3 to 7 days before TTD benefits begin. In California the waiting period is 3 days. In Florida it is 7 days. During the waiting period, you are not paid TTD. However, most states also include a retroactive period — if your disability lasts longer than a set threshold (often 14 to 21 days), the carrier must pay you retroactively for the waiting period.
What is the highest weekly TTD benefit in any state?+
As of 2026, Missouri has the highest weekly TTD maximum at $2,350 per week, followed by Illinois at $2,008, Massachusetts at $1,922, and the District of Columbia at $1,900. These caps apply only to the highest earners — workers whose AWW times the state rate would otherwise exceed the cap. See the full 2026 Weekly Benefit Rates table for every state.