Get Latest WorkWORLD

Workers' Compensation Summary - Illinois

The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (prior to January 1, 2005 known as the Industrial Commission) is responsible for administering the Workers' Compensation Act in Illinois. The following brief summary is intended to provide a general overview of Workers' Compensation coverage and benefits in Illinois. See the separate topic for help with acronyms. For further information contact your local or state Workers' Compensation Program office. This information is based on data originally provided by the U.S. Department of Labor and updated by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, and is believed current as of May 2011.

In Illinois, compensation benefits are normally adjusted twice annually, as the Illinois Department of Employment Security determines a new Statewide Average Annual Wage (SAWW). Changes usually become effective on January 15 and July 15 of each year. The rates shown below are in effect from January 15, 2011 to July 14, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

Type of Law and Insurance Requirements

In Illinois, workers' compensation is compulsory, and no waivers are permitted. There is no state fund. Employers may insure through private carriers, self-insurance, or through groups of employers. There is no exemption for employers with small numbers of employees, but sole proprietors, business partners, corporate officers, and members of limited liability companies may exempt themselves.

Coverage of Agricultural Workers

Agricultural workers are covered who are employed by an individual employer for 400 or more aggregate man-days in any quarter during the preceding calendar year; exclusive of the employer's spouse and other members of his/her immediate family residing with him/her.

Coverage of Domestic Employees

Covers any worker or workers employed for a total of 40 or more hours per week for a period of 13 or more weeks during a calendar year by any household or residence.

Medical Benefits

Full medical benefits are provided with no time or monetary limitations if treatment is reasonable and necessary to cure the injury.

Benefits for Temporary Total Disability (TTD)

The percentage of worker's wage paid is 66 2/3. For weekly payments, the minimum is from $220.00 to $330.00, according to number of dependents, or worker's average wage, if less, and the maximum is $1,243, 133 1/3 percent of SAWW. The maximum period of payments is the duration of disability.

Benefits for Permanent Total Disability (PTD)

The percentage of worker's wage paid is 66 2/3. For weekly payments, the minimum is $466.13 (50% of SAWW), and the maximum is $1,243, 133 1/3 percent of SAWW. The maximum period of payments is life.

Benefits for Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)

The percentage of worker's wage paid is 60. For weekly payments, the minimum is from $213.33 to $320.00, according to number of dependents, or worker's average wage if less. For non-scheduled payments, the maximum period of payments is 500 weeks if the worker is able to pursue usual work duties or the duration of disability if unable to pursue usual work duties, and there is no maximum payment amount.

The maximum weekly PPD benefit for amputation of a member or enucleation of an eye is $1,243 (133 1/3 percent of SAWW), and the minimum is $466.13 (50% of SAWW).

If not an amputation or enucleation, the maximum weekly PPD benefit is figured differently. The maximum payment changes annually on July 1, but is not available until December of the year it is in effect. For the period 7/1/2010 to 6/30/2011, the maximum will be $664.72.

Disfigurement Benefits

Illinois law covers disfigurements that are "Serious and permanent to hand, head, face, neck, arm, leg, below knee, or chest above axillary line". Benefits are 60 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, except if benefits are otherwise payable for permanent disability, for a maximum period of 150 weeks.

Contact Information

Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission
100 W. Randolph St. #8-200
Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: (312) 814-6611
Toll-free: 1-866-352-3033
TDD: (312) 814-2959

Internet: http://www.iwcc.il.gov/

Additional Information

Compensation benefit levels for current and recent historic periods may be found at:
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/benefits.htm

Two versions (one for injuries occurring before February 1, 2006 and another for injuries occurring on or after that date) of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission's Handbook On Workers' Compensation And Occupational Diseases are available in both English and Spanish in PDF format (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) online at:
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/handbook.htm

The Illinois Workers' Compensation Act is available online at:
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/workers.htm

Rules of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission are available in PDF format (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) online at:
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/pdfs/rules.pdf

Frequently asked benefit questions and answers may be found at:
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/faq.htm

Frequently asked medical questions and answers may be found at:
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/faqmed.htm

Other State's Summaries

Curious about the Workers' Compensation program in another state? Want to see a summary like this one? Click here to select another state's summary.

Source

Information for this topic was drawn from pages of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission website at:
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/benefits.htm
http://www.iwcc.il.gov/insurance.htm

WorkWORLD™ Help/Information System

   Share/Save: Click the button or link at left to select your favorite bookmark service and add this page.

This is one topic from the thousands available in the WorkWORLD™ software Help/Information System.
Complete information about the software is available at: http://www.WorkWORLD.org