Work comp: Benefits, general information

About workers' compensation

Workers' compensation is a no-fault system designed to provide benefits to employees who are injured as a result of their employment activities. It also helps limit the liability of employers. Because it is a no-fault system, the employee does not need to prove negligence on the part of the employer to establish liability. It also means the employer cannot use negligence on the part of the employee as a defense to a claim.

A work-related injury can be any condition that is caused, aggravated or accelerated by the employment activities. This includes traumatic injuries, repetitive type injuries, occupational diseases and qualifying mental injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The employee needs to show only that the employment activities were a substantial contributing factor to the disability and/or need for medical care.

Basic benefits

Workers' compensation provides three basic types of benefits:  wage loss, medical and vocational rehabilitation.

1. Wage-loss benefits

• Waiting period

• Temporary total disability (TTD)

• Temporary partial disability (TPD)

• Permanent total disability (PTD)

• Permanent partial disability (PPD)

• Dependency benefits

• Annual adjustment of benefits

• Direct deposit

2. Medical benefits

3. Vocational rehabilitation benefits

For more information

For more general benefits information, see An employee's guide to the Minnesota workers' compensation system (also available in Spanish).