{"id":2713,"date":"2017-10-09T15:05:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-09T15:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/blog\/waiting-periods-retroactive-pay-in-workers-compe\/"},"modified":"2024-05-08T00:01:09","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T04:01:09","slug":"waiting-periods-retroactive-pay-in-workers-compensation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/blog\/waiting-periods-retroactive-pay-in-workers-compensation\/","title":{"rendered":"Retroactive Pay | South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Lawyer"},"content":{"rendered":"

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After a workplace injury, your employer’s insurance is meant to pay for your medical treatment, loss of wages and compensation for permanent disfigurement or disability through workers’ compensation. While the pay is typically a fraction of your average weekly wage (66 2\/3% in South Carolina), financial relief is still financial relief, and it can make a world of difference during tough times.<\/p>\n

What you may not know is that workers’ compensation does not necessarily start on the day you are injured. You may not even receive payments at all. Waiting periods and retroactive periods, which vary across the U.S., prevent you from collecting payments unless you meet certain requirements.<\/p>\n

Waiting Period<\/p>\n

In South Carolina and many other states, an injured employee must wait 7 days before workers’ compensation benefits are payable<\/strong>. This is designed to prevent workers’ compensation fraud (exaggerated injuries) and to avoid legal paperwork for minor injuries.<\/p>\n

Retroactive Period<\/p>\n

An injured employee must miss a certain amount of days before receiving retroactive payments for the 7-day waiting period, known as the retroactive period. In South Carolina, the retroactive period is 14 days<\/strong>, meaning an injured employee can receive workers’ compensation payments for the first 7 days and thereafter, only after the 14-day retroactive period.<\/p>\n

Real-Life Examples<\/p>\n