Glossary · PA Workers' Comp

Partial Disability

A workers' comp benefit status for injured workers who can do some work but at reduced earnings, limited to 500 weeks under Pennsylvania law.

Definition

Partial disability under Pennsylvania workers' compensation law applies to injured workers who are able to perform some work but cannot fully return to their pre-injury earning capacity. Partial disability benefits compensate for the difference between pre-injury earnings and current earning capacity.

Partial Disability Benefits in PA: The 500-Week Cap and How Benefits Are Calculated

Partial disability benefits in Pennsylvania are capped at 500 weeks (approximately 9.6 years). This is in contrast to total disability benefits, which can continue indefinitely.

Partial disability benefits are calculated as 2/3 of the difference between the employee's pre-injury average weekly wage and their current or available earning capacity — subject to the statewide maximum.

An employer or insurer can seek to modify benefits from total to partial disability by demonstrating that suitable work is available within the employee's physical restrictions, even if the employee has not yet found or accepted that work.