New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Laws

New Jersey workers’ compensation laws provide for medical and other income benefits to be paid to workers injured on the job or who become ill because of their jobs.

Claims under New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Laws

New Jersey workers’ compensation laws offer benefits to help and support the employee while he recovers from an accident at the workplace that causes injury to the worker. However, if the worker’s injury was self-inflicted or was the result of the injured employee’s abuse of drugs or alcohol, the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance will not cover the injury.

Additionally, if a worker becomes sick because of continual exposure to harmful conditions at work, their illness may be considered occupational and thus eligible for benefits under New Jersey workers’ compensation law.

In the unfortunate event of a worker’s death from an occupational injury or illness, the New Jersey workers’ compensation system may also provide death benefits to the surviving relatives of any employee who dies from a work-related sickness or injury.

New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Healthcare: Your employer’s insurance provider will pay for any medical treatment relating to treatment of your work-site injury or disease. Medical treatment may include doctor’s visits, hospital bills, and prescriptions, among other things.

Reimbursement of Mileage: When an employee incurs expense because he must travel to medical appointments to treat his workplace injury, his travel expenses may be reimbursed by his employer’s insurer. Some wages lost because of travel time and time spent in appointments may also be reimbursed.

Death: When an employee dies from a work-related injury or illness, his dependents may receive death benefits from his employer’s insurer at 70% of the worker’s weekly wages. The benefits may not exceed an amount determined by the New Jersey Commissioner of Labor.

Funeral Expenses: The cost of a funeral for an employee who dies from a work illness or injury may be paid to his relatives, up to $3,500.

Income Replacement: Income replacement benefits comprise a large part of many New Jersey workers’ compensation claims. Income benefits include:

1) Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD): 70% of the employee’s average weekly wage will be paid to an employee whose work-related injury makes it temporarily impossible for him to do any work.

2) Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD): If an employee is injured and cannot perform his old job duties, but can perform some duties, he will be paid 70% of his pre-injury average weekly wage.

3) Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD): The severity of the employee’s injury or illness is such that he will never be able to work again. If this is the case, he will receive benefits at 70% of his average weekly wage for 450 weeks, which will continue if he proves he can no longer earn money. The amount paid each week cannot be greater than 75% of the statewide average weekly wage.

4) Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD): When an employee is permanently affected by the workplace injury or illness but can do some work, PPD may be available. He will get benefits based on a percentage of non-scheduled or scheduled losses.

Visit the state website for more information and statistics on New Jersey workers’ compensation benefit rates.

New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Statutes

Refer to a copy of the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Law if you have specific questions about the content of the laws or are just curious and would like to do some more research on your own.

Employers Subject To Workers’ Compensation: Workers’ Compensation, Title 34, Chp.15, Art.1; Covered Employees: Workers’ Compensation, Title 34, Chp.15, Art.1; Benefits: Labor and Employment, Title 34, Chp.15, Art.2 §§ 13-15.2; Claims Procedure: Labor and Employment, Title 34, Chp.15, Art.2 §§ 17-27.