Average Weekly Wage (AWW) — How Utah Calculates It & Common Mistakes

Every dollar of TTD you receive — and every dollar of PPD — is built on your Average Weekly Wage (AWW). Get this number wrong and you lose money on every check, every week, for years.

A mistake in your AWW repeats on every check. Here's how to get it right.

The short version

• AWW = average of your gross earnings over the 52 weeks before injury.
• Include overtime, bonuses, shift differentials, tips, on-call pay — anything taxable.
• If you worked less than 52 weeks, use the weeks you did work.
• TTD = AWW × 66.67%, capped at $1,376/week for injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (official payment grid).

The standard formula

AWW = total gross earnings (52 weeks pre-injury) ÷ 52

Example: You earned $58,500 in the 12 months before injury.

• AWW: $58,500 ÷ 52 = $1,125/week
• TTD weekly: $1,125 × 0.6667 = $750

What counts in "gross earnings" (and what adjusters forget)

Utah AWW includes EVERYTHING you earned through work:

• Base wages
• Overtime pay
• Shift differentials (night, weekend)
• Bonuses (annual, performance, signing)
• Commissions
• Tips (declared)
• On-call pay
• Per diem (sometimes — depends on use)
• Vacation/PTO payouts

Adjusters often pull only base wages from payroll and call it done. Demand the full W-2 and pay stubs to verify.

When the standard formula doesn't work

Less than 52 weeks of work

Utah uses the weeks you actually worked, then averages.

Example: You worked 18 weeks before injury, earning $22,500 total.

• AWW: $22,500 ÷ 18 = $1,250/week

Seasonal or irregular work

Tricky. Utah may use a "fair representation" formula — could be similar workers' wages, or an annualized average. Push for the higher of the available options.

Multiple jobs

Utah includes concurrent employment wages in AWW if both jobs were similar and the second employer was aware. Two jobs: $700/week + $400/week = AWW $1,100. Don't leave the second job off the application.

The TTD cap and floor (2026)

• Maximum TTD: $1,376/week for injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (100% of state average weekly wage)
• Minimum TTD: $45/week

Both come from the Utah Labor Commission's official payment grid. If your AWW × 0.6667 exceeds $1,376, you cap at $1,376. If it's below $45, you floor at $45.

Common mistakes about AWW

Mistake 1: Not including overtime

Overtime is part of gross earnings. If you worked overtime in the 52 weeks before your injury, it belongs in your AWW, and leaving it out lowers every check.

Mistake 2: Not requesting the worksheet

Always demand the AWW worksheet showing exactly which weeks and pay items were used. Without it, you can't verify.

Mistake 3: Settling without correcting AWW

PPD = impairment % × 312 × TTD weekly. A $100/week underestimate on AWW lowers your weekly rate by about $66.67; on a 15% PPD case (46.8 weeks) that is about $3,120 less in PPD, before counting any TTD weeks. Fix AWW BEFORE PPD.

What to do

1. Request the AWW worksheet from the adjuster.
2. Compare against your last 52 weeks of pay stubs and W-2.
3. If anything is missing, write a formal correction request.
4. Run the corrected AWW in the CVR Quick Calculator to see your real case value.
5. If they refuse to correct it, consult an attorney: an AWW error carries into every TTD and PPD week.

This article is general information about Utah workers' compensation, not legal advice. Dollar amounts are estimates based on published Utah rates. For advice about your own case, talk to a licensed Utah workers' comp attorney.