After sustaining a workplace injury in Connecticut, one concern may be your compensation while you are unable to work. You receive weekly benefits that are tied directly to your Average Weekly Wage (AWW). Accurate calculations are necessary to guarantee you are getting the correct amount. This affects your financial stability during recovery.
How Connecticut calculates AWW
Workers’ compensation laws in Connecticut typically calculate AWW based on your earnings during a specific period before your injury. This may involve examining gross wages over the 52 weeks preceding your accident. This period could be shorter than 52 weeks if you worked less than a year.
However, the calculation is not always straightforward. Working irregular hours or overtime can affect your AWW. If you held multiple jobs at the time of injury, your total earnings may factor into your calculation. The law may consider even certain fringe benefits as part of your wage.
Specific rules apply to concurrent employment and fringe benefits. Failing to report these earnings correctly can result in benefits that cover only a fraction of your actual lost income.
Rates and accuracy
In Connecticut, you can calculate your weekly wage-loss benefits by taking 75% of your net average weekly wage (NAWW). The NAWW is your average weekly earnings after deducting federal taxes, state taxes and FICA.
Your AWW serves as a basis for your benefits. Even a small error in the initial calculation can lead to a significant shortfall over several months.
Common calculator issues
Insurance companies sometimes lower your Average Weekly Wage (AWW). They may leave out overtime pay or extra pay for different shifts. You might also forget to include pay from other jobs or use records that are not complete. Whether these mistakes are on purpose or by accident, they lower your weekly benefits.
To prevent this, make sure to collect all your records. Keep your pay stubs from the time before your injury. If you work for yourself or have more than one job, get your tax returns. These papers prove what you actually earned.
Seeking legal help
You may experience issues such as your benefit checks seeming lower than expected, or the insurer disputing your wage calculation. You may need to consider seeking a legal professional experienced in workers’ compensation. They can review your wage records, identify calculation errors and advocate for you in disputes.
While the state’s workers’ compensation system works to protect you, navigating wage calculations is complex. You should not accept reduced benefits without question as your financial recovery depends on receiving accurate compensation.