Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Benefits Chart 2026
Compare current weekly limits, total and partial incapacity formulas, waiting days, duration, medical choice, dependent additions, and filing rules.
Current Massachusetts benefit reference
| Benefit | General formula | General duration or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary total incapacity (§ 34) | 60% of AWW; full AWW when AWW is below minimum | $384.50–$1,922.48 for 10/1/25–9/30/26; up to 156 weeks |
| Partial incapacity (§ 35) | 60% of wage difference, capped at 75% of § 34 rate | Generally 260 weeks; combined limits apply |
| Permanent and total incapacity (§ 34A) | 66⅔% of AWW within applicable minimum and maximum | While qualifying permanent-total incapacity continues |
| Dependent addition (§ 35A) | $6 for each qualifying wholly dependent person | Combined addition generally capped at $150 and total cannot exceed AWW |
| Medical benefits (§ 30) | Adequate and reasonable care and necessary incidental expenses | As long as required by the compensable injury |
| Burial expense (§ 33) | Reasonable expense up to eight times SAWW | $15,379.84 using the current $1,922.48 SAWW |
Use the Massachusetts weekly calculator for total or partial incapacity.
Recent October 1 rate periods
| Effective date | Maximum / SAWW | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2025 | $1,922.48 | $384.50 |
| October 1, 2024 | $1,829.13 | $365.83 |
| October 1, 2023 | $1,796.72 | $359.34 |
| October 1, 2022 | $1,765.34 | $353.07 |
Massachusetts calls the October 1–September 30 interval the applicable rate year. Injury date, not payment date, selects the base minimum and maximum for the claim.
Other benefits and limitations
Specific injury compensation
Section 36 addresses listed loss of function, bodily disfigurement, and facial, neck, or hand scarring through separate formulas.
Survivor benefits
Section 31 provides weekly compensation for qualifying dependents, subject to dependency and aggregate rules.
Vocational rehabilitation
The DIA may evaluate whether a program is necessary and feasible to return an injured worker to suitable employment.
Medical examinations
An insurer may request an examination at its expense; reasonable travel expense and qualifying wage loss are reimbursable.
Permanent, specific-injury, and death calculations require facts beyond a basic temporary-benefit estimator.
Rules that affect timing and payment
| Employee notice | As soon as practicable; report immediately in writing |
|---|---|
| Employer report | Generally required for five or more calendar days of lost full wages |
| Employee claim | Form 110; general four-year period from awareness of the work-disability causal relationship |
| Insurer response | Generally 14 days after receipt of the first report or initial written weekly-benefit claim |
| Waiting period | First five incapacity days initially unpaid |
| Retroactivity | First five days become payable when incapacity lasts at least 21 calendar days |
| Medical provider | First scheduled visit may be within a preferred plan; statutory choice and change rights follow |
| Dispute path | Conciliation, conference, hearing, reviewing-board appeal, and judicial review |
Read the Massachusetts claim guide for the reporting, filing, treatment, and dispute sequence.
Official sources
- DIA minimum and maximum compensation rates.
- DIA benefit types and durations.
- M.G.L. c. 152, § 34.
- M.G.L. c. 152, § 35.
- M.G.L. c. 152, § 35A.
Page last reviewed: August 27, 2026. Official orders, statutes, and accepted claim facts control.