Commission Releases New Weekly Benefit Rates and Formulas

Tuesday, October 2, 2018 | 0

The Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission has released new weekly benefit rates, rate tables, and handy methods of calculating cost-of-living adjustments and weekly benefits for workers not subject to FICA or Medicare taxes.

A printed version of the weekly benefits tables is available from Budget Printers in Hartford, at $39.95 for a mailed copy, or can be found at the commission's website.

The average weekly wage in Connecticut, determined by the state Labor Department, rose, from $1,287 to $1,298, effective Oct. 1. That means the maximum weekly rate is also set, at $1,298, according to a bulletin from the commission.

The maximum compensation for partial disability is equivalent to the average weekly earnings of production and related workers, which this week was reported at $1,046.

The commission has produced a set of formulas to use in calculating COLAs on total disability and survivor benefits. The agency also offered some assistance on determining rates on employees who are not subject to Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and Medicare taxes.

"One method for calculating these amounts is by manually following the steps from the exhibits in the front of the rate table book, but omitting the FICA and/or Medicare deductions," a memo from the commission reads. "Since this is rather involved, the commission has come up with some 'shortcut' equations."

The equations can be found here.