How Much Does Workers’ Comp Pay in Illinois? TTD
How much does workers comp pay in Illinois when an injury keeps you off the job? Temporary total disability, or TTD, pays 66⅔% of your average weekly wage, up to a state cap that resets each January and July. Payments start after a three-day waiting period and continue while your doctor keeps you off work.
What Is TTD in Illinois?
TTD is the weekly wage replacement Illinois pays when a work injury stops you from doing any job while you heal.
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act sets these payments, and your employer’s insurance carrier usually pays them. Fault does not matter. Checks arrive every week. You only have to show the injury came from your work. TTD is one of several workers’ compensation benefits available in Illinois, and it is also the one that keeps rent and bills moving in the first weeks. For a deeper look at eligibility, read our page on temporary total disability benefits in Illinois.
Who Qualifies for TTD?
You qualify if you are an employee, your injury is work related, and your doctor says you cannot work at all right now.
Full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees can all qualify. Independent contractors and gig workers are generally not covered by the Act. Some employers label workers as contractors to avoid paying benefits, so your real working conditions matter more than the label. A doctor’s note that takes you off work completely is the key proof, and the insurer will ask for it.
How Is the TTD Rate Calculated?
Illinois pays two thirds of your average weekly wage, known as AWW. The figure usually comes from your gross earnings before the injury, not your take-home pay.
So how much does workers comp pay on a real paycheck? Multiply your weekly gross pay by 66⅔%. Here are three examples.
| Average weekly wage | Weekly TTD rate |
| $600 | $400 |
| $900 | $600 |
| $1,200 | $800 |
These examples assume the rate sits under the state cap. Overtime and commissions can raise your AWW. Insurers sometimes get the number wrong, so compare it with your pay stubs.
What Is the Maximum Weekly TTD Amount?
Illinois caps weekly TTD at 133⅓% of the statewide average weekly wage. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission posts the updated cap every January 15 and July 15.
Your injury date decides which cap applies. So how much does workers comp pay at the top end? For injuries between January 15 and July 14, 2026, the posted cap was $2,008.60 a week. Injuries after July 15 fall under a newer cap, so check the Commission’s Benefit Rates table for your exact date.
There is also a floor. The minimum is your AWW or a set amount, whichever is lower. That floor can move up when the state minimum wage rises.
When Do TTD Payments Start and Stop?
Payments begin after a three-day waiting period. If your disability lasts more than 14 days, Illinois pays those first three days too.
Checks continue until your doctor clears you to work or you reach maximum medical improvement, called MMI. MMI means your condition has stopped getting better.
If you return to lighter work and earn less, temporary partial disability can fill part of the gap. It pays two thirds of the difference between your old and new wages. Once healing ends, permanent partial disability benefits may cover lasting loss.
What Can Cut or Delay Your TTD Check?
A wrong wage figure, a disputed claim, or a work release can shrink or stop your payments. Each problem has a fix when you catch it early.
- Low AWW: The insurer may leave out overtime or commissions. Ask for the math in writing.
- Disputed injury: The insurer may argue the injury is not work related. Medical records that name the job as the cause help.
- Work release: If your doctor clears you, TTD ends even if you still hurt. Ask for any limits in writing.
- Late checks: Delays can be challenged before the Commission.
If you cannot return to your old job, vocational rehabilitation can come with weekly maintenance payments equal to your TTD rate.
What Steps Protect Your Claim?
Tell your employer about the injury within 45 days. File your claim within three years of the accident, or two years after your last payment, whichever is later.
Miss those dates, and how much does workers comp pay in your case has a short answer: nothing. The Illinois workers’ compensation statute of limitations explains both deadlines.
Get care right away and tell the doctor the injury happened at work. You may choose up to two doctors, and workers’ compensation medical care benefits in Illinois cover reasonable treatment. Keep your pay stubs, every letter from the insurer, and a simple log of missed workdays. Photos of the accident scene and names of witnesses can also help if the insurer disputes what happened.
TTD Questions Workers Ask
TTD lasts until your doctor releases you to work or you reach maximum medical improvement. The law ties payments to your medical status, not a fixed number of weeks.
Only if your disability lasts more than 14 days. In that case, the first three days are paid back. Otherwise, the waiting period stays unpaid.
Not full TTD. If you work with restrictions and earn less, temporary partial disability pays two thirds of the wage gap. Your doctor’s restrictions decide which benefit applies.
The minimum is your average weekly wage or a set floor, whichever is lower. The Commission posts the floor in its January and July rate tables.
No law requires one. Still, a lawyer can check your wage math, challenge a denial, and deal with the insurer. Free consultations let you ask before you decide.
Need Help With Your TTD Payments?
If your checks are late, too low, or stopped, we can review your wage figures and medical records with you. Contact Illinois Work Injury Lawyer to request a free consultation, so you know how much does workers comp pay on your claim before the deadlines pass.
Legally Reviewed By
Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld
Content legally reviewed by Jonathan Rosenfeld The information on this page has been legally reviewed by Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld, founder and managing partner of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC. With extensive experience representing injured workers across Illinois, Mr. Rosenfeld is dedicated to helping workplace accident victims pursue the maximum compensation available under the law. His extensive legal knowledge and commitment to client advocacy ensure that the information provided is accurate, reliable, and aligned with current legal standards.