Illinois has some of the highest workers compensation benefit caps in the country and a distinctive three-track PPD system: scheduled body-part awards under Section 8(e), person-as-a-whole awards under Section 8(d)(2), and wage differential awards under Section 8(d)(1). This calculator uses the statutory schedule from 820 ILCS 305 to estimate your PPD and TTD benefits.
Operated by Mustafa Bilgic, non-attorney individual. Schedule weeks from 820 ILCS 305/8(e). Maximum TTD = 133 1/3% of SAWW (updates annually). Verify current rates at iwcc.illinois.gov.
| Item | Illinois rule | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| TTD rate | 66 2/3% of AWW | Section 8(b) |
| Max TTD | 133 1/3% of SAWW (verify current $ at IWCC) | Section 8(b) |
| PPD rate (schedule) | 60% of AWW, capped at 60% of SAWW | Section 8(e) |
| Waiting period | 3 working days | Section 8(b) |
| Retroactive threshold | 14 days | Section 8(b) |
| PPD: Arm | 253 weeks | Section 8(e)(10) |
| PPD: Hand | 205 weeks | Section 8(e)(9) |
| PPD: Leg | 215 weeks | Section 8(e)(12) |
| PPD: Foot | 167 weeks | Section 8(e)(11) |
| PPD: Eye | 172 weeks | Section 8(e)(14) |
| PPD: Hearing (both) | 215 weeks | Section 8(e)(13) |
| PPD: Thumb | 76 weeks | Section 8(e)(1) |
| Person-as-a-whole | 500 weeks maximum | Section 8(d)(2) |
| Statute of limitations | 3 years / 2 years from last payment | Section 6(d) |
| Doctor choice | Employee chooses 2 physicians + referral chains | Section 8(a) |
| Settlement | Lump sum or structured | Section 9 |
Illinois categorizes permanent partial disability into three distinct tracks, each with different calculation methods:
Track 1 — Schedule awards (Section 8(e)): When the injury results in permanent loss of use of a specific body member listed in the statute, the worker receives 60% of AWW for a number of weeks determined by the percentage of loss times the maximum weeks. For example, a 25% loss of use of the hand equals 25% of 205 weeks = 51.25 weeks at 60% of AWW.
Track 2 — Person-as-a-whole (Section 8(d)(2)): When the injury affects the body generally (back, spine, neck, hip, or multiple systems), the IWCC may award a percentage of 500 weeks at 60% of AWW. This track is used for injuries that do not fit the body-part schedule.
Track 3 — Wage differential (Section 8(d)(1)): If the injury permanently reduces earning capacity, the worker receives 66 2/3% of the difference between pre-injury AWW and post-injury earning capacity. For injuries after September 1, 2011, this continues until age 67 or 5 years from the final award, whichever is later. The wage differential track often produces the largest awards because it runs for years or decades.
Uses Section 8(e) schedule. Educational only.
The wage differential track under Section 8(d)(1) is one of Illinois' most distinctive features. Consider a 50-year-old warehouse worker earning $1,200 per week who, after a back injury, can only perform sedentary work paying $600 per week. The wage differential is $600 per week, and the benefit is 66 2/3% of that difference ($400 per week) until age 67 — potentially 17 years, or $353,600 in total. This dwarfs a typical schedule award for the same injury.
Employers and insurers frequently try to characterize injuries as schedule losses rather than wage differential claims because the exposure difference is enormous. Workers should understand that a back injury settlement for a "percentage of the person as a whole" may be far less than the wage differential they could receive if they can prove a permanent reduction in earning capacity.
Illinois gives workers 3 years from the date of accident to file a claim under Section 6(d), or 2 years from the last payment of compensation, whichever is later. This is the longest filing deadline among the ten largest-population states. Compare Georgia (1 year), California (1 year), Florida (2 years), and New York (2 years). The longer deadline provides more time for workers to understand the full extent of their injuries before committing to a filing, but it does not excuse the 45-day notice requirement to the employer. Notice should be given promptly even if the formal claim filing is delayed.
Illinois is one of the more worker-friendly states for medical choice. Under Section 8(a), an employee may choose two treating physicians of their own selection, plus any chain of referrals from each physician. The employer cannot restrict the worker to a panel or network. The employer may request an independent medical examination, but the worker is not required to treat with the IME physician.
Illinois sets the maximum TTD rate at 133 1/3% of the state average weekly wage (SAWW). This gives Illinois one of the highest weekly TTD caps in the country. The SAWW is updated annually by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Verify the current number at iwcc.illinois.gov.
Section 8(e) assigns maximum weeks per body part: arm 253, hand 205, leg 215, foot 167, thumb 76, index finger 43, eye 172, and hearing (both ears) 215 weeks. Your PPD award equals 60% of your AWW times the percentage of loss times the scheduled weeks. The PPD rate is capped at 60% of SAWW.
Under Section 8(d)(1), if an injury permanently reduces your earning capacity, you may receive 66 2/3% of the difference between your pre-injury AWW and your current or expected post-injury earnings. For injuries after September 1, 2011, this award continues until age 67 or 5 years from the final award, whichever is later.
Illinois has a 3-working-day waiting period. TTD begins on the 4th day. If disability continues 14 days or more, compensation is paid retroactively from the day after the accident.
Yes. Under Section 8(a), an employee may select two treating physicians of their choice plus any chain of referrals from each. The employer may also schedule an IME but cannot force the worker to treat with the IME physician.
Under Section 6(d), a claim must be filed within 3 years of the date of accident or within 2 years of the last payment of compensation, whichever is later. Notice to the employer must be given within 45 days.
When an injury does not fit neatly into the body-part schedule (e.g., back, neck, spine, hip), the IWCC may award compensation based on a percentage of 500 weeks for the body as a whole, at 60% of AWW.
No. Operated by Mustafa Bilgic, non-attorney individual operator. Educational research only. Consult a licensed Illinois workers compensation attorney.