Alaska Workers' Compensation: Fast Facts

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Coverage Requirements Under Alaska State Law

Any business with at least one permanent or full-time employee must provide Alaska workers' compensation insurance.

Work-Related Injury or Illness Reporting Requirements

Notify your supervisor within 30 days of your work-related injury or illness. If you fail to notify your employer within 30 days, then you cannot qualify for Alaska workers' comp benefits.

Where to Seek Medical Care

Seek emergency medical care from the closest clinic, ER, hospital or provider, if needed. If you need to change doctors after your first visit, then you must notify your employer's insurer.

Waiting Period for Lost-Wage Benefits in Alaska

Your first 3 days off are always unpaid unless your accident makes you miss more than 4 weeks of work. Once that happens, you'll receive compensation for those first 3 days off. Your employer's insurer must begin payments or deny your Alaska workers' compensation claim within 21 days after you file.

Alaska Workers' Compensation Statute of Limitations

Your employer must file your Alaska workers' compensation claim within two years of your work-related injury or illness date.

Alaska Weekly Compensation Rate

You can receive 80% of your spendable weekly wage, subject to maximum and minimum benefit amounts under Alaska state law. Alaska calculates the spendable weekly wage using your gross weekly earnings minus any payroll tax deductions. Your employer's insurer should make biweekly payments until you're able to return to work again.

How Long You Can Receive Alaska Workers' Comp Benefits

  • Medical benefits: 2 years
  • Death benefits: lump-sum payment of $10,000 for funeral expenses + $5,000 to surviving spouse and/or children, if applicable
  • Temporary Total Disability (TTD): until you reach maximum medical improvement or can return to work
  • Temporary Partial Disability (TPD): no more than 5 years or until you can return to work
  • Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): lump-sum payment calculated as a percentage of your whole-body value. Each person is worth $177,000 under Alaska workers' compensation laws, so you'll receive a percentage of that based on your permanent disability rating.
  • Permanent Total Disability (PTD): until death or end of disability

Alaska Workers' Comp Coverage Exemptions

The following employees are automatically exempt from workers' compensation insurance coverage under Alaska state law:

  • Amateur sports officials
  • Certain licensed real estate employees
  • Contract entertainers
  • Commercial fishermen
  • Domestic servants (housekeepers, babysitters, maids, nannies)
  • Federal employees
  • Harvesting workers
  • Pro hockey coaches and players that have health insurance coverage
  • TANF recipients participating in the state's work program requirements
  • Taxi, Uber, and Lyft drivers

Alaska Workers' Compensation Attorney Fees

Lawyers cannot charge more than $300 in legal fees without approval from the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board. This is true regardless of the outcome of your case.