A Reliable Partner. An Experienced Adviser.

Photo of Ira C. Yellin
  1. Home
  2.  » 
  3. Workers’ Compensation
  4.  » How Working A Second Job Affects Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

How Workers’ Compensation Is Calculated

Most people understand that a worker who is injured on the job is entitled to be paid disability for the wages that he is losing as a result of being unable to work due to his injuries.

But, what if that worker had another job (what is referred to as
concurrent employment) at the time of his accident? How would the injured worker be properly compensated for the lost wages that occur when he had a second job?

Your calculation is based upon the calculation of your average weekly wage.

The Massachusetts workers’ compensation law provides that an injured worker is compensated for lost wages based upon the worker’s average weekly wage.

An average weekly wage is determined by calculating the wages that the worker earned during the 52 weeks (or for however many weeks worked if less than 52 weeks) prior to the day of the accident.

If that worker had a second job at the time of the accident, those wages may be added to the wages earned at the job at which the worker was injured in order to come up with the average weekly wage.

Calculation Of Total Disability Benefits

For example, if the employee earned $500 at the job on which he was injured and an additional $300 at another job, the average weekly wage would be $800. The injured worker would therefore be entitled to receive weekly workers’ compensation total disability checks in the amount of $480 as the law provides that total disability compensation is 60 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage.

Calculation Of Partial Disability Benefits

Suppose in our example that the injured employee is able to return to the job on which he had the accident at the same amount of pay as before but is not able to return to the concurrent job. The injured worker would then be able to receive partial disability benefits.

As he would be losing $300 per week in income he could be compensated by receiving $180 ($300 x 60 percent) per week in partial disability benefits. The same would be true if he was able to return to his concurrent job but not the one on which he was injured, but in that case he would be losing $500 in income and could be compensated by receiving $300 ($500 x 60 percent) per week in workers’ compensation partial disability benefits.

Many issues may arise in a workers’ compensation claim. Even determining the average weekly wage and disability compensation rate can prove to be complicated, especially when concurrent wages are involved.

Attorney Ira Yellin has vast knowledge of the workers’ compensation law and can be at your side to help guide you through the complicated issues of your workers’ compensation claim.

Contact Us Today

Be certain to call us since we specialize in accidents in the workplace. Our firm handles all types of matters relating to workers’ compensation, Social Security Disability and personal injury claims.

The Law Offices of Ira C. Yellin, LLC, in Franklin, has an unprecedented record for winning higher claims for our clients. Contact us by calling 508-528-8885 or filling out our online contact form to set up an appointment with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer.

Photo of Professionals at Law Offices of Ira C. Yellin, LLC