Tennessee Workers' Comp Rates July 2026: Weekly Max and Minimum

Tennessee updates its workers' comp rates every July 1, and the change this year was one of the larger ones in recent memory. For injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, the most a temporarily disabled worker can receive rose to $1,488.30 a week. This guide covers how that figure is used, who gets the minimum, and the two deadlines that most often cost Tennessee workers money.

The weekly benefit

Tennessee pays 66⅔% of your average weekly wage for temporary total disability (TTD), within limits set by the Bureau of Workers' Compensation:

Injury dates	Minimum	Temporary maximum
July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027	$202.95	$1,488.30
July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026	$194.55	$1,426.70

The temporary maximum is 110% of the state average weekly wage. Permanent disability benefits use a lower maximum ($1,353.00 for injuries from July 2026), which is why Tennessee publishes two separate caps.

You would need to average roughly $2,232 a week to reach the 2026–27 maximum.

AWW	Weekly TTD (injury after July 1, 2026)
$280	$202.95 (minimum)
$1,000	$666.67
$2,500	$1,488.30 (maximum)

How the minimum works for low wages

Tennessee's statute says that if your average weekly wage is below the minimum weekly benefit, you receive your full average weekly wage, but in no event less than the minimum. The calculator applies the published minimum and flags these cases, because very low-wage claims are the ones most worth confirming with the Bureau.

Report within 15 days

Tennessee has one of the shortest notice periods in the country. You should give your employer notice of the injury within 15 days. Late notice can be excused for a reasonable cause, but it invites disputes. If the insurer hasn't paid any benefits voluntarily, you generally have one year from the injury to file a petition.

The waiting period

Benefits do not start until the eighth day of disability. If the disability lasts 14 days or more, the first seven days are paid too.

So a worker with a $1,000 AWW who is out 13 days receives six days of TTD, about $571. At 14 days, the first week is restored.

Partial disability

If you can work in a limited capacity and earn less, Tennessee pays temporary partial disability: two-thirds of the difference between your AWW and what you can earn while partially disabled. A worker averaging $1,000 who earns $550 on modified duty receives two-thirds of the $450 gap, $300 a week.

When temporary benefits end

TTD continues until you can return to work or reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). At MMI, your doctor assigns an impairment rating, and permanent partial disability is paid at two-thirds of your wage for 450 weeks multiplied by your rating. A 20% rating, for example, means 90 weeks.

If your original permanent award ends and you still haven't returned to work, or earn less than before, you can ask for increased benefits. The award may be multiplied by 1.35, with additional factors for age, education and the county unemployment rate. You must file for these within the time set by statute, so don't let the original award run out without checking.

Tennessee also caps the total of temporary and permanent partial benefits at 450 times the maximum weekly rate for your injury year, though temporary benefits paid before MMI don't count toward it.

What to do in the first two weeks after a Tennessee work injury

The first days after an injury decide how smoothly the rest of the claim goes. Most delays and disputes trace back to something that was missed early, so it helps to work through a short list.

1. Get medical care and say it happened at work. Tell the clinic or emergency room that the injury is work-related, so the records and the bill go to workers' comp rather than your health insurance.
2. Report the injury to your employer. Tennessee gives you only 15 days, so don't wait to see whether the pain goes away. Report it in writing, even if you also told a supervisor in person, and keep a copy or a photo of what you sent.
3. File the claim. If benefits aren't paid voluntarily, file a Petition for Benefit Determination with the Bureau within one year of the injury.
4. Ask for the work status note. After each visit, ask the doctor for written work restrictions or an off-work note, and give a copy to your employer. Benefits follow those notes.
5. Save your pay records. Gather pay stubs for the period your state uses to set the average weekly wage. You'll need them to check the first payment.
6. Write things down. Keep a simple log of calls with the adjuster, dates of appointments and days missed. It takes minutes and settles most later arguments.
7. Choose from the doctor panel. Your employer should give you a list of doctors to choose from. Keep a copy of the signed panel form.

If your Tennessee check is late or looks wrong

Start with the numbers. Divide your weekly check by your average weekly wage and compare the result with the formula above. If it is lower than it should be, the usual causes are an average weekly wage that left out overtime or part of the look-back period, the wrong year's rate table, or days counted under the waiting period that should have been paid back.

Then ask the insurer, in writing, for the wage statement and the calculation it used. Most errors are corrected at this stage once you send pay stubs that show the difference. If payments have stopped without a written explanation, or the insurer won't correct a clear mistake, contact the Bureau of Workers' Compensation's Ombudsman Program. State agencies run ombudsman or customer-assistance programs for injured workers, and a workers' compensation attorney can review the claim; in most states their fees are limited by law and come out of the benefits recovered rather than being billed up front.

Questions Tennessee workers ask

What is the Tennessee workers' comp max rate? $1,488.30 a week for temporary disability on injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Is the first week paid? Yes, if your disability lasts 14 days or more.

How far will they pay mileage? Medical travel is generally reimbursed for trips of more than 15 miles one way.

Are benefits taxable? No. Tennessee has no tax on wages, and workers' comp is excluded from federal income tax.

Check your rate

The Tennessee workers' comp calculator uses the correct July-to-June table for your injury date and applies the waiting period and partial-disability formula.

Sources

• Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation, compensation rates
• Tennessee Code §§50-6-205 and 50-6-207
• Nolo, How much are workers' compensation benefits in Tennessee?