A work injury can stop your paycheck while the bills keep coming. Workers’ compensation replaces part of your lost wages, but the amount depends on what you earned before the injury and the date you got hurt, so two coworkers can receive very different checks. The rules are the same across California, so a Glendale worker follows the same formula as a worker in any other city. Injured people who talk with a Glendale workers’ compensation lawyer or the state’s Information & Assistance Unit can learn early whether the first check looks right.
The Basic Formula for Temporary Disability Pay
Temporary disability pay replaces part of the wages you lose while an injury keeps you from your usual job. Under Labor Code § 4653, a worker who cannot work at all gets two-thirds of average weekly earnings during the disability. Glendale workers follow the same formula as everyone else in California, and no local rate applies.
The state bases that number on your gross wages, which means your pay before taxes, according to the Division of Workers’ Compensation. If you earned $1,200 a week, your check would be about $800 a week. Workers with very low wages can receive more than two-thirds, because the law sets a minimum weekly check.
2026 Weekly Limits on Your Check
Two-thirds of your wages is only the starting point, because California sets a floor and a ceiling for weekly checks. Under Labor Code § 4453, those limits rise each year with the state’s average weekly wage, and the 2026 numbers apply to injuries on or after January 1, 2026, according to the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Your injury date decides which set of limits applies to you, even if your payments start months later.
- 2026 minimum – $264.61 a week for injuries on or after January 1, 2026
- 2026 maximum – $1,764.11 a week, even for workers who earned much more
- 2025 minimum – $252.03 a week for injuries that happened in 2025
- 2025 maximum – $1,680.29 a week for injuries that happened in 2025
When Payments Start and How Long They Last
Your first check is due within 14 days after your employer learns of your injury and your disability, and later checks arrive every two weeks, according to the injured worker guidebook. Under Labor Code § 4652, the first three days of lost time go unpaid unless you stay in the hospital overnight or your disability lasts more than 14 days. A late check usually carries a 10 percent penalty.
Temporary disability does not last forever. Under Labor Code § 4656, most workers hurt on or after January 1, 2008 can receive up to 104 weeks of checks within five years of the injury, though a few long-term injuries, such as severe burns, can last up to 240 weeks. Permanent disability payments, if you qualify, come later and are a separate benefit.
Partial Pay and Special Rules for Public Safety Workers
Some workers can return part-time or at lower pay while they heal. In that case, temporary partial disability pays two-thirds of the gap between your old wages and your new wages, under Labor Code § 4654. If your pay drops from $1,200 to $900, you lose $300 a week, and the benefit is about $200.
City police officers and city firefighters follow a different rule, including those who serve a city like Glendale. Under Labor Code § 4850, they can take a leave of absence at full salary for up to one year instead of receiving temporary disability checks. Other city and county workers should ask which rule covers their job.
What to Do if Your Check Looks Wrong
Mistakes happen, so compare each check with your wage records and your pay stubs from before the injury. Start with your average weekly earnings, because a low wage figure shrinks every payment that follows. Ask the claims administrator to explain the math in writing if the number does not add up.
- Pay stubs – gather stubs that show your wages before the injury
- Payment dates – note when each check arrived and the amount
- Doctor notes – keep work-status reports that show your restrictions
- Help line – call the state’s Information & Assistance Unit if answers stall
Plan for a Smaller Paycheck From the First Week
Temporary disability replaces part of your wages, not all of them, so plan for a gap from the first week. Add up your fixed bills, compare them with your expected weekly check, and tell your doctor or insurer early if the shortfall puts rent, food, or care at risk. Records and early questions make errors easier to catch, and they keep your claim file clear. If the figure still looks off, a second opinion from a California workers’ compensation attorney can show you how the insurer reached it.