Posted in Workers' Compensation
Wisconsin’s most severely injured workers have not seen a raise in their workers’ compensation benefits since 2016. During that same period, employers across the state saved more than $1 billion in premium cuts. If you’ve been hurt on the job and have questions about what you’re owed, a West Bend, WI workers’ compensation lawyer can help you understand where things stand and what may be changing.
What’s Been Happening With PTD Benefits
Workers classified as permanently and totally disabled (PTD) receive weekly payments for life. These are people who suffered catastrophic injuries on the job and cannot return to work. In Wisconsin, roughly 500 people receive PTD benefits. Only about 300 of those are currently eligible for any kind of raise.
The maximum weekly benefit has been stuck at $669 since 2016. That number hasn’t moved in nine years, even as the cost of living in Wisconsin has risen by approximately 34%, according to a Wisconsin Watch investigation.
To put that in perspective: one PTD recipient interviewed for the report said he had $8 left in his checking account during the last week of the month. Another, a former Washington County resident who played hockey at West Bend West High School, has been forced to draw down personal savings just to cover basic expenses.
Why Raises Have Stalled
Unlike 23 other states that provide automatic cost-of-living adjustments for PTD recipients, Wisconsin ties raises to an “agreed bill” process. Every two years, the state’s Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council, made up of management and labor representatives, negotiates a package of proposed changes. PTD raises only happen when they’re included in that bill and the bill passes the Legislature.
That process broke down after 2016. The sticking point was a medical fee schedule that management wanted and health care organizations opposed. Because the two sides couldn’t agree on the full package, PTD raises were left out of the 2020, 2022, and 2024 agreed bills.
The logjam appeared to break in mid-2025 when the state budget included a provision to create a workers’ comp fee schedule. Days later, the advisory council recommended raises for PTD recipients as part of the 2026 agreed bill.
What the Proposed Bill Would Change
If the 2026 agreed bill passes, the changes would be significant for injured workers:
- The maximum weekly PTD benefit would increase from $669 to $1,051
- Eligibility for raises would expand to include workers injured before January 1, 2020, adding an estimated 210 more people
- Annual raises would be added each January 1 going forward
- Individual raise amounts would vary based on injury date, with some recipients seeing increases of more than 50%
The bill still needs to pass the Republican-controlled Legislature and be signed by the governor. As of now, it has not yet been enacted.
What This Means for Injured Workers in West Bend
Workers’ compensation law in Wisconsin has been around since 1911. It was the first system of its kind in the country. But the fact that it’s been in place for over a century doesn’t mean the system always works the way it should for the people it was designed to protect.
If you’ve suffered a workplace injury, the benefits you receive today may not reflect the full extent of what you’re entitled to, particularly as the law continues to evolve. Hickey & Turim, S.C. works with injured workers throughout Wisconsin to make sure their claims are handled properly and their benefits reflect what the law allows. Our workers’ compensation lawyer can review your situation and help you take the right steps forward.
