Tag Archives: temporary total disability

Can I Collect Unemployment and Workers’ Compensation Benefits at the Same Time?

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Today’s post comes from guest author Rod Rehm, from Rehm, Bennett & Moore.

In Nebraska, an injured worker who is laid off, fired or leaves a job for good cause can collect unemployment benefits and still receive Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) benefits and Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits from the workers’ compensation insurance company. The Nebraska Labor Department unemployment law does not allow a worker to receive unemployment during the same week the person is paid Temporary Total Disability (TTD) workers’ compensation payments.

To receive unemployment benefits, the injured worker must be ready, willing and able to work.  As long as injured worker is ready, willing and able to work within one’s own restrictions, that worker can receive unemployment benefits during the same week that they are entitled to TPD and PPD benefits. 

If a person is totally unable to work and getting TTD benefits, that person cannot receive unemployment benefits since they, by definition, are not ready, willing and able to work.

Under the workers’ compensation laws, it is also important to remember that compensation benefits cannot be offset with what is paid under the unemployment benefits. For guidance, please refer to Nebraska Statute 48-130 that supports this rule of law.

If you have been laid off or terminated, you are still entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in the above situations.

If you have any questions, call us for a free consultation.

Workers’ Compensation Basics: Payments to Workers and their Families

Workers' Comp Basics, Workers' Compensation, Workplace Injury, , , , ,

Today’s post comes from guest author Rod Rehm, from Rehm, Bennett & Moore.

Here’s the next installment in the firm’s series that focuses on the basics of the workers’ compensation system. It gives information on how payments to injured workers and/or their families are handled. 

Workers’ compensation generally pays by the week, although it may be paid bi-weekly or monthly in some circumstances. The amount of the payment is established by state laws or statutes, regulation or court decision. 

Family members are paid in the event of the death of a worker arising from an accident or disease. Family members are occasionally paid for providing home-health care.     

The amounts paid and duration of payment varies from state to state. Generally there is a minimum and a maximum. The maximum is usually two-thirds of the gross wages earned, with a limit that is adjusted from time to time. 

To calculate the amount actually paid, most states use average wages for a specified number of weeks or months before the injury, death or disease. 

Payments are made for temporary inability to work, which is generally labeled temporary total disability. There may be a waiting period before payments begin. The waiting period varies from state to state. 

Payments are also made when a worker is temporarily limited to light duty and working either fewer hours or for a lower rate of pay. These benefits are called temporary partial disability. 

Payments are made for permanent inability to work and, if severe enough, some states pay for the worker’s lifetime. Some states do not pay for less than lifetime. These benefits are called permanent total disability. 

Payments are made for permanent reduction of the ability to work. This benefit is normally labeled permanent partial disability. 

Payments that are made for loss of body parts or limited use of body parts are also labeled permanent partial disability. State law establishes the value of the various body parts. 

Payments are less frequently paid while workers are participating in retraining or vocational rehabilitation. This is not a common benefit. 

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION DOES NOT PAY FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING. 

It is important to contact an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer if you have questions or concerns about any of the information shared here. Please read the previous blog posts in the workers’ compensation basics series by clicking on these links: 

Intoxication, Work, And Workers’ Compensation Don’t Mix

Workers' Compensation,

drunk-at-workMost of us know that, for both professional reasons and in the interest of safety, remaining sober while on the job is essential. However, it is important to also recognize that workers who are intoxicated at the time that they sustain a work injury stand a far lower chance of ever collecting workers’ compensation.

If the blood test shows the presence of alcohol or drugs, odds that the employee will be able to collect workers’ compensation are much lower.

This is because of the intoxication defense: if an employer can prove that intoxication was the cause of the workers’ injury, then they employer is not required to provide workers’ comp for that injury.

Now, there are some notable Continue reading →

Work Comp Disability Payments: Getting The Full Amount You Deserve

Workers' Comp' Basics,

Computation for your TTD benefits should reflect not only your basic salary but also overtime, tips, incentives, hazard pay, and other payments that you would typically receive each week.

Today’s post is from my colleague Brody Ockander of Nebraska. Note that Iowa law is slightly different from Nebraska law. Iowa law entitles an injured worker to approximately 80% of take-home pay (instead of 2/3 in Nebraska) for the time off work because of a work injury. That rate is based on an average of wages for the 13 weeks (instead of 26 weeks in Nebraska) before injury.

In Nebraska, workers’ compensation law entitles you to 2/3 of your average wages when you are off work because of an injury. This average is based on your wages the 26 weeks before you were injured. This is known as temporary total disability (TTD).

How TTD Works:

If you are an injured at work, you are entitled to TTD so long as you are under a doctor’s care, that doctor has you on work restrictions preventing you from working, and your doctor has not placed you at maximum healing for your injury.

While off work for your injury, make sure you are getting the proper amount of money you are entitled to. Employers use many techniques to manipulate your wages to pay you less than you are legally entitled to.

Improper ways your Employer “miscalculates” your average wages to pay you less:

  1. Including weeks you worked Continue reading →