What are disability payments through workers' compensation primarily based on?

Disability payments through workers' compensation are primarily based on the employee's average weekly wage. This approach ensures that the compensation is closely aligned with the employee's earning capacity prior to the injury, providing financial support that reflects what they were making at the time of the incident. Workers' compensation aims to replace a portion of lost wages due to work-related injuries or illnesses, which is why it focuses on the average weekly wage.

Factors like age, length of employment, or job title may play a role in determining eligibility or coverage but do not directly influence the calculation of disability payments themselves. Therefore, the average weekly wage serves as the key benchmark for compensation in workers' compensation cases, making it the correct basis for these payments.