If you are ever hurt in an accident at work or develop an illness due to the environment or some other factor at your place of work, you will want to understand how Arizona’s workers’ compensation program operates. Most people know that there is a program designed to provide financial assistance to people who might miss work due to an injury but they do not fully understand the nuances of how these benefits are allocated.

As explained by the Industrial Commission of Arizona, some people only qualify for workers’ compensation benefits that pay their medical expenses. This may be due to the fact that they are not forced to lose time away from work or because they are unable to work for only a few days.

Lost wages compensation may be available if a person is unable to work, per a physician, for eight or more days in a row. These days include non-working days. In cases where a person is unable to work for eight to 14 days, only the second seven days are compensable. If the inability to work extends 15 days or more, compensation may be available from the first day. The employee must report the injury or illness within one year from the event or the date on which their condition became known to them.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give people employed in Arizona an overview of how the state’s workers’ compensation program determines payments for lost wages due to a work-related injury or medical condition.