Updated 10/01/2025
What Should My Weekly Check Be?
Enter when you were hurt and what you were earning. We'll calculate your weekly benefit under Minnesota law.
This is an informational tool, not legal advice. Results depend entirely on the information you enter and may not reflect all statutory exceptions or fact-specific rules. Verify against the underlying statute and consult an attorney for case-specific decisions.
How the temporary total disability (TTD) rate is calculated
TTD generally pays two-thirds (66.67%) of your average weekly wage (AWW) — so if your AWW is wrong, your TTD is wrong. Check your AWW first.
The result is capped at the statewide maximum and floored at the minimum in effect on your date of injury (the minimum can never exceed your actual wage). The maximum adjusts every October 1.
TTD replaces lost wages only. It does not pay your health insurance, pension, 401(k), dental, or union dues — and you need specific work restrictions from your doctor, because TTD generally turns on being unable to work (or having no suitable work available) due to the injury.
TTD has duration limits, including a 130-week cap and a rule generally ending TTD 90 days after maximum medical improvement (MMI). The first payment is due within 14 days of the date your employer knew of your injury and lost time.
Worked example
For a date of injury of 10/1/2025 and an AWW of $2,000: two-thirds is $1,333.33, which is under the $1,536.84 maximum, so the TTD rate is $1,333.33. With an AWW of $3,000, two-thirds ($2,000) exceeds the cap, so TTD is limited to $1,536.84.
When to call
Use your result as a screen. Most claims that are on track do not need a lawyer; the ones that are off track usually do.
Green — may be on track
Your check is at about two-thirds of your AWW (or the cap) and arrives on your normal payday. Compare it to the AWW and rate on your Notice of Primary Liability Determination (NOPLD).
Yellow — worth watching
Your check is close but not exact, your AWW looks estimated (a round number like $800 even), or you have no written work restrictions yet. Fix the AWW and get specific restrictions from your doctor.
Red — good reason to call
No TTD within 14 days of the insurer learning you were hurt and missing work, checks that are consistently late, or payments stopped without a NOID. These are reasons to act — a DLI penalty request, a .239 objection, or a call.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does temporary total disability (TTD) pay in Minnesota?
- TTD pays two-thirds (66.67%) of your average weekly wage, subject to the statewide maximum and minimum for your date of injury. Because it is built on your AWW, an AWW set too low makes every TTD check too low — so verify the AWW first.
- How do I know if my TTD rate is correct or just an estimate?
- Look at your Notice of Primary Liability Determination (NOPLD) — it lists your AWW, your TTD rate, and the period being paid. If the AWW is a flat, round number like $800 even, it was probably estimated. Do not wait for the adjuster to gather your wage records; pull your own pay stubs and do the math, because the estimate is often low.
- Does TTD replace my health insurance, 401(k), pension, or union dues?
- No. TTD replaces a portion of your wages only — it does not pay your health insurance, pension, 401(k), dental, or union dues. That is a real gap, especially for union workers whose total compensation is largely benefits, but under the law TTD is tied to the wage, not the full value of the job.
- Can I use my PTO or vacation to make up the unpaid one-third?
- Often, yes, if your employer allows it. Some employers let you use PTO or vacation to top up the third that TTD does not cover. People usually do this to keep a small paycheck coming so their benefit deductions, like health insurance, keep getting paid.
- Will my health insurance continue while I am on workers’ comp, and should I file for FMLA?
- Workers’ comp itself does not pay your health premiums, so ask about FMLA. If you are eligible, FMLA (up to 12 weeks) requires your employer to keep your group health coverage on the same terms as if you were working — they keep paying their share, and you stay responsible for your share, which can build into a bill you owe later. FMLA does not require 401(k) or pension contributions to continue, just group health. Confirm the details with your HR.
- I am off my regular job but still working a second job (like a PCA job) — do I still get TTD?
- Probably not TTD. If you are still earning at another job, you have a partial wage loss, which is paid as temporary partial disability (TPD), not TTD. Tell the adjuster about the second job and run the TPD numbers so you are paid the right benefit.
- Can I collect unemployment and TTD at the same time?
- Generally no. You cannot collect unemployment benefits and TTD for the same weeks — they are built for different situations (able to work versus unable to work). Double-collecting can create an overpayment you will have to pay back.
- Does TTD affect my Social Security Disability (SSDI)?
- It can. If you receive both, Social Security may reduce your SSDI so the combined total does not exceed about 80% of your prior earnings — the SSDI workers’-comp offset. Usually it is your SSDI that gets reduced, not your TTD. Tell both your work-comp attorney and Social Security if you are receiving both.
- Why do I need work restrictions from my doctor?
- Restrictions are everything. You need specific, written physical restrictions — what you can and cannot do — from your doctor, not just a vague "off work" note. Restrictions are what justify TTD (or light-duty TPD), drive whether your employer must offer suitable work, and protect you if the insurer argues you could be working.
- I was released to light duty but my employer has no light-duty work — do I still get TTD?
- Yes. If your doctor releases you to light duty but your employer has no suitable light-duty work available, you generally remain on TTD. The release by itself does not end your benefits — there has to be actual suitable work for you to do.
- How soon should my first TTD check arrive, and what if it never comes?
- The first TTD payment is due within 14 days of the later of your first day of lost time or the date your employer learned of the injury. If 14 days pass and the insurer has not paid you or filed a denial, that is a problem — you can request a penalty from the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and, if needed, file a claim petition to force the issue.
- What can I do if my TTD checks are consistently late?
- You are entitled to be paid on the same schedule as your old paycheck — weekly, every other Friday, whatever it was — so tell the adjuster your normal payday right away. If checks are repeatedly late (more than three payments more than three business days late in a year), use DLI’s "Penalty Request — Workers’ Compensation" form and attach proof like check stubs and postmarked envelopes. Penalties for delay are paid to you.
- How long can TTD last, and what is the 130-week limit?
- TTD is subject to a 130-week cap and generally ends 90 days after you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), among other stopping rules. Hitting the 130-week limit does not necessarily end your claim — if you cannot work at all, the conversation may shift to permanent total disability (PTD).
- What does maximum medical improvement (MMI) mean for my TTD?
- MMI means your doctors do not expect further significant recovery — your condition has plateaued. It matters because TTD generally ends 90 days after MMI is served on you. MMI is a medical opinion, not a hard fact, so it can be disputed, and reaching MMI does not mean you are "all better" or that your other benefits end.
- When can the insurer stop my TTD?
- The insurer cannot just stop paying. To discontinue TTD they generally must file a Notice of Intention to Discontinue (NOID) stating why — for example you returned to work, refused a suitable job, reached MMI plus 90 days, or hit a duration limit. You have the right to object and request a quick administrative conference (a ".239" conference) to challenge it.
- Do I get TTD by direct deposit, and why might it look late?
- Yes, you can usually have TTD paid by direct deposit — ask the adjuster to set it up. Keep in mind it is not instant: a payment the insurer issues can take a day or more to actually show up in your bank, so a check that is technically on time may not appear in your account until the next day.
- Will hiring an attorney reduce my weekly TTD check?
- Merely hiring an attorney should not cause fees to be taken out of your TTD. Attorney fees generally come out only if your lawyer had to file something or go to court to get your benefits started, continued, or increased. If your TTD is being paid voluntarily and on time, hiring counsel by itself should not shrink your check.
DLI penalty request form (PDF)How DLI assesses late-payment penalties