By Attorney James F. Aspell, Board-Certified Workers' Compensation Specialist · Updated October 19, 2026
In Connecticut, workers' compensation pays your medical bills and about 75% of your after-tax wages if you are hurt or made sick by your job, no matter who was at fault. You start a claim by telling your employer and filing Form 30C within one year. Disputes are decided by Administrative Law Judges at the state Workers' Compensation Commission, not by a jury.
What Is Workers' Compensation?
Workers' compensation is a no-fault insurance system that provides medical care and wage replacement to employees injured or made ill by their work. Connecticut's system is set out in the Workers' Compensation Act, Chapter 568 of the General Statutes, which dates to 1913. In exchange for guaranteed benefits, you generally cannot sue your employer, though you may be able to sue a negligent third party. Claims run through the Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission, not the civil courts.
Connecticut workers' comp: quick facts for 2026
|
Topic |
The rule |
|---|---|
|
Fault |
Not required. It is a no-fault system. |
|
Weekly wage benefit |
75% of your after-tax average weekly wage (C.G.S. § 31-307) |
|
Maximum (total disability) |
$1,776/week for injuries on or after Oct. 1, 2026 |
|
Maximum (partial disability) |
$1,175/week for injuries on or after Oct. 1, 2026 |
|
Deadline to file Form 30C |
1 year from the injury; 3 years from first symptom for an occupational disease |
|
Insurer's deadline to contest |
28 days after receiving your Form 30C (by filing a Form 43) |
|
Who decides disputes |
Administrative Law Judges at 8 district offices; no jury |
|
Retaliation for filing |
Prohibited (C.G.S. § 31-290a) |
Who Is Covered by Workers' Compensation in Connecticut?
Almost every employee in Connecticut is covered from the first day of work, including full-time, part-time, seasonal and minor employees. Immigration status does not bar a claim.
Independent contractors are usually not covered, but the label your employer uses does not decide it. What matters is how much control the company has over how you do the work. Misclassification is one of the most common disputes we see, especially for delivery drivers and construction workers.
Some workers are covered by federal systems instead: federal employees, railroad workers and many longshore and maritime workers. See the industries and occupations we represent.
How a Workers' Compensation Claim Starts in Connecticut
A claim starts with two steps, and the deadlines are strict.
- Tell your employer right away, preferably in writing, with the date, place and how it happened.
- File Form 30C (Notice of Claim) with the Workers' Compensation Commission and your employer within one year of the injury, or within three years of the first symptom of an occupational disease. Send it by certified mail and keep the receipt. See first steps after a work injury.
- The insurer responds. It can accept the claim, pay without prejudice while it investigates, or file a Form 43 to contest it. If it fails to file a Form 43 within 28 days, it may lose the right to contest whether the injury is covered.
Missing the filing deadline can permanently bar even a valid claim. Expect the insurer to investigate your claim, including recorded statements and medical records.
Mid-page box: Already hurt at work? Talk to a board-certified Connecticut workers' compensation lawyer for free: (860) 523-8783.
Medical Treatment Under Connecticut Workers' Comp
Workers' compensation pays for all reasonable and necessary medical care for your work injury, with no copays or deductibles. That includes:
- Doctor and hospital visits
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Diagnostic tests such as MRIs and X-rays
- Prescriptions
- Mileage to and from medical appointments
If your employer has an approved medical care plan, you may have to start with a plan doctor; you can often change doctors later. Read can I choose my own doctor? When the insurer's doctor and yours disagree, a judge can order a neutral Commissioner's Medical Examination.
Wage Replacement Benefits in Connecticut
Weekly wage benefits generally equal 75% of your after-tax average weekly wage, up to a state maximum that resets every October 1. There are four types:
|
Benefit |
When it applies |
How much |
|---|---|---|
|
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) |
Your doctor says you cannot work at all |
75% of after-tax average weekly wage; max $1,776/week for injuries on or after Oct. 1, 2026 |
|
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) |
You can do light duty but earn less |
75% of the wage difference; max $1,175/week for injuries on or after Oct. 1, 2026 |
|
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) |
You reach maximum medical improvement with a lasting impairment |
A set number of weeks for the body part times your comp rate (for example, 208 weeks for the cervical spine) |
|
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) |
The most serious injuries; you can never return to work |
Weekly benefits that can continue for life, with annual cost-of-living adjustments |
Example: with an after-tax average weekly wage of $1,000, your TTD rate is $750 a week. See getting paid on your claim and maximum medical improvement.
Workers' comp does not pay for pain and suffering. If a third party caused your injury, you may have a separate claim; see pain and suffering in workers' compensation.
What Happens If the Insurance Company Disputes the Claim?
If the insurer contests your claim, your treatment or your ability to work, the dispute goes to the Workers' Compensation Commission in stages:
- Informal hearing: a short conference with an Administrative Law Judge to try to resolve the issue.
- Pre-formal hearing: narrows the issues and sets up the evidence.
- Formal hearing: testimony and medical evidence, then a written decision.
There is no jury. A judge's decision can be appealed to the Compensation Review Board and then the Connecticut Appellate Court. Read about workers' compensation denials.
How Connecticut Workers' Compensation Cases End
Most cases end in a negotiated settlement called a stipulation. A full and final stipulation pays a lump sum and usually closes your right to future benefits, sometimes including future medical care; an Administrative Law Judge must approve every settlement. Other cases end with a decision after a formal hearing. See how claims are resolved, how long settlements take and whether a settlement is taxable.
What Changed in 2025 and 2026
- Public Act 25-12 (2025): temporary partial disability now moves to the permanency phase once you reach maximum medical improvement, and the cervical spine schedule rose from 117 to 208 weeks. Read our Public Act 25-12 breakdown.
- Public Act 26-12 (effective Oct. 1, 2026): teachers and direct-care health care workers physically assaulted at work receive 100% of their average weekly wage, with no cap.
- New maximums (Oct. 1, 2026): $1,776/week for total disability and $1,175/week for partial disability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to prove my employer was at fault?
No. Connecticut workers' compensation is no-fault. You only need to show the injury or illness arose out of and in the course of your employment.
Can I get workers' comp if I work part-time or am undocumented?
Yes. Part-time, seasonal and minor employees are covered, and immigration status does not bar a claim.
Is there a waiting period before benefits start?
[Attorney to confirm wording: no wage benefits for the first three days unless the disability lasts seven days or more, in which case benefits are paid from day one (C.G.S. § 31-295).]
How long can I receive benefits?
Total disability benefits continue as long as you are totally disabled. Partial disability benefits are time-limited [attorney to confirm the 520-week cap], and permanency awards are paid for the number of weeks set for the body part.
Can I sue my employer?
Usually not. Workers' compensation is generally your only remedy against your employer, but you can sue a negligent third party such as another driver or an equipment maker. See work-related car accidents.
What if I lose my job while on workers' comp?
Your benefits do not automatically end, and it is illegal to fire you for filing a claim. Read what happens if you lose your job.
The Bottom Line
Connecticut workers' compensation provides medical care and income without requiring proof of fault, but the system is procedural, insurer-driven and technical. Deadlines are strict, and the insurer has lawyers from day one. If you were hurt at work, talk to a Connecticut workers' compensation lawyer before you give a recorded statement or sign anything. Learn what a workers' comp lawyer does, or call (860) 523-8783 for a free consultation. No fee unless we win.
General information, not legal advice. Rates apply to injuries on or after October 1, 2026.
