New Jersey Workers' Compensation will increase to record benefit levels in 1999. The rate of compensation is based upon the wage of the injured worker for the 26 week period prior to the date of the accident. In occupational disease cases the rate utilized is that of the time the petitioner had knowledge of the causal relationship between the exposure and the disease and is limited to the wage in effect at the time of the exposure.
The Workers' Compensation maximum rate is based upon the State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) for the year prior to promulgation. The rate cannot exceed 70% of the SAWW.