102.44(1)

(1)

102.44(5)(b)

(b) No reduction under this section shall be made because of an increase granted by the social security administration as a cost of living adjustment.

102.44

102.44 Maximum limitations. Section 102.43 shall be subject to the following limitations:

102.44(1)(ag)

(ag) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, every employee who is receiving compensation under this chapter for permanent total disability or continuous temporary total disability more than 24 months after the date of injury resulting from an injury that occurred prior to January 1, 2001, shall receive supplemental benefits that shall be payable in the first instance by the employer or the employer’s insurance carrier, or in the case of benefits payable to an employee under § 102.66, shall be paid by the department out of the fund created under § 102.65. Those supplemental benefits shall be paid only for weeks of disability occurring after January 1, 2003, and shall continue during the period of such total disability subsequent to that date.

102.44(1)(am)

(am) If the employee is receiving the maximum weekly benefits in effect at the time of the injury, the supplemental benefit for a week of disability occurring after May 6, 2010 [May 1, 2010], shall be an amount that, when added to the regular benefit established for the case, shall equal $582.

102.44(1)(b)

(b) If the employee is receiving a weekly benefit that is less than the maximum benefit that was in effect on the date of the injury, the supplemental benefit for a week of disability occurring after May 6, 2010 [May 1, 2010], shall be an amount sufficient to bring the total weekly benefits to the same proportion of $582 as the employee’s weekly benefit bears to the maximum in effect on the date of injury.

102.44(1)(c)

(c) The employer or insurance carrier paying the supplemental benefits required under this subsection shall be entitled to reimbursement for each such case from the fund established by § 102.65, commencing one year from the date of the first such payment and annually thereafter while such payments continue. Claims for such reimbursement shall be approved by the department.

102.44(5)(f)

(f) No reduction shall take into account payments made under the social security act to dependents of an employee.

102.44(2)

(2) In case of permanent total disability aggregate indemnity shall be weekly indemnity for the period that the employee may live. Total impairment for industrial use of both eyes, or the loss of both arms at or near the shoulder, or of both legs at or near the hip, or of one arm at the shoulder and one leg at the hip, constitutes permanent total disability. This enumeration is not exclusive, but in other cases the department shall find the facts.

102.44(3)

(3) For permanent partial disability not covered by §§ 102.52 to 102.56, the aggregate number of weeks of indemnity shall bear such relation to 1,000 weeks as the nature of the injury bears to one causing permanent total disability and shall be payable at the rate of two-thirds of the average weekly earnings of the employee, the earnings to be computed as provided in § 102.11. The weekly indemnity shall be in addition to compensation for the healing period and shall be for the period that the employee may live, not to exceed 1,000 weeks.

102.44(4)

(4) Where the permanent disability is covered by §§ 102.52, 102.53, and 102.55, such sections shall govern; provided, that in no case shall the percentage of permanent total disability be taken as more than 100 percent.

102.44(5)

(5) In cases where it is determined that periodic benefits granted by the federal social security act are paid to the employee because of disability, the benefits payable under this chapter shall be reduced as follows:

102.44(5)(a)

(a) For each dollar that the total monthly benefits payable under this chapter, excluding attorney fees and costs, plus the monthly benefits payable under the social security act for disability exceed 80% of the employee’s average current earnings as determined by the social security administration, the benefits payable under this chapter shall be reduced by the same amount so that the total benefits payable shall not exceed 80% of the employee’s average current earnings. However, no total benefit payable under this chapter and under the federal social security act may be reduced to an amount less than the benefit payable under this chapter.

102.44(5)(c)

(c) Failure of the employee, except for excusable neglect, to report social security disability payments within 30 days after written request shall allow the employer or insurance carrier to reduce weekly compensation benefits payable under this chapter by 75%. Compensation benefits otherwise payable shall be reimbursed to the employee after reporting.

102.44(5)(d)

(d) The employer or insurance carrier making such reduction shall report to the department the reduction and as requested by the department, furnish to the department satisfactory proof of the basis for the reduction.

102.44(5)(e)

(e) The reduction prescribed by this section shall be allowed only as to payments made on or after July 1, 1980, and shall be computed on the basis of payments made for temporary total, temporary partial, permanent total and permanent partial disability.

102.44(5)(g)

(g) No reduction under this subsection shall be made on temporary disability benefits payable during a period in which an injured employee is receiving vocational rehabilitation services under § 102.61 (1) or (1m).

102.44(6)

(6)

102.44(6)(a)

(a) Where an injured employee claiming compensation for disability under sub. (2) or (3) has returned to work for the employer for whom he or she worked at the time of the injury, the permanent disability award shall be based upon the physical limitations resulting from the injury without regard to loss of earning capacity unless the actual wage loss in comparison with earnings at the time of injury equals or exceeds 15%.

102.44(6)(b)

(b) If, during the period set forth in § 102.17 (4) the employment relationship is terminated by the employer at the time of the injury, or by the employee because his or her physical or mental limitations prevent his or her continuing in such employment, or if during such period a wage loss of 15% or more occurs the department may reopen any award and make a redetermination taking into account loss of earning capacity.

102.44(6)(c)

(c) The determination of wage loss shall not take into account any period during which benefits are payable for temporary disability.

102.44(6)(d)

(d) The determination of wage loss shall not take into account any period during which benefits are paid under ch. 108.

102.44(6)(e)

(e) For the purpose of determining wage loss, payment of benefits for permanent partial disability shall not be considered payment of wages.

102.44(6)(f)

(f) Wage loss shall be determined on wages, as defined in § 102.11. Percentage of wage loss shall be calculated on the basis of actual average wages over a period of at least 13 weeks.

102.44(6)(g)

(g) For purposes of this subsection, if the employer in good faith makes an offer of employment which is refused by the employee without reasonable cause, the employee is considered to have returned to work with the earnings the employee would have received had it not been for the refusal.

102.44(6)(h)

(h) In all cases of permanent partial disability not covered by §§ 102.52 to 102.56, whether or not the employee has returned to work, the permanent partial disability shall not be less than that imposed by the physical limitations.