What is remuneration for workers’ compensation?
Workers Compensation - July 4, 2025
If you’ve been hurt on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. But how are those benefits calculated? That’s where remuneration comes in. In Illinois, remuneration refers to the total of your wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, and other earnings, the amounts used to calculate your workers’ compensation benefits. It’s not the payout itself but the income and benefits that determine what you’re owed.
With guidance from a skilled Aurora workers’ compensation lawyer at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, you can seek a satisfactory remuneration package tailored to your unique needs and situation.
What are workers’ comp benefits in Illinois?
When you are injured on the job, you’ll likely turn to your workers’ compensation insurance benefits, available through your employer’s insurance policy and overseen by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC). These benefits include partial wages or salaries, disability benefits, and death benefits for families of deceased employees.
To qualify for benefits, you must report your injury within 45 days to your employer and file a workers’ compensation claim. You must also have been on the clock at the time of the accident and have been obeying all company polices and safety procedures. You do not have to prove your employer was negligent or at fault to claim benefits.
When do I qualify for remuneration after a workers’ comp case?
During a standard workers’ comp claim, your remuneration comes in the form of your benefits. In the event a third party is at fault for your injury or your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company improperly denies your claim, you may have grounds to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. If your case is successful, your work injury lawyer can help you compile your remuneration demands according to your specific needs.
When you are hurt, your employer must report your injury to their workers’ compensation insurance carrier, which in turn submits required reports to the IWCC
Every workers’ compensation case will have specific compensation demands
Remuneration will look different for each client. For example, your attorney may recommend including items such as:
- Direct compensation for economic losses, such as medical costs
- Payments for salary reduction
- Repayment of lost gross wages
- Lost contributions to employee savings plans and retirement accounts
- Store certificates, merchandise credits, or a similar substitute
- Retroactive salary payments
- Commissions and draws against commissions
- Retirement or cafeteria plans
- Compensation for lost time for holidays and vacations
- Workers’ comp costs for your claim, such as attorney and court fees
- Costs of replacing damaged personal hand or power tools
- Profit sharing or incentive plans
- Bonuses, including stock bonus plans
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Profit sharing
- Reimbursement for group insurance premiums
- Reimbursement for lost payments to insurance or pension plans, such as the federal Social Security Act or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)
If you pursue a separate personal injury lawsuit, you may also be able to claim non-economic damages like pain and suffering. These types of damages are not available through a standard Illinois workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ comp only covers economic losses like medical bills, lost wages, and certain benefits. If a third party is liable, your attorney can help you seek additional compensation through a personal injury case.
Contact us to discuss your Illinois workers’ comp case and learn more about potential remuneration
At Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, we are committed to helping injured workers get the renumeration they deserve from those at fault. You do not have to face the insurance or legal systems alone when you can turn to our team of aggressive yet compassionate work injury attorneys. Contact us online or by calling (800) 985-1819 to schedule a free consultation today.
