The amount of an injured employee's Workers Compensation disability payments is based on which of the following factors?

The amount of an injured employee's Workers Compensation disability payments is based on the average weekly wage. This figure is crucial because it reflects the employee's earnings prior to the injury, providing a baseline for calculating the benefits they will receive during their recovery. The average weekly wage is specifically used to determine how much financial support is needed to replace lost income while the worker is unable to perform their job due to the injury.

Workers' compensation systems are designed to provide benefits that cover medical expenses and partial wage loss. Thus, the focus on an average weekly wage ensures that the payments are proportionate to what the injured employee would have earned if they had not been injured.

Other factors, such as an employee's average monthly salary or total employment duration, may influence overall job security and potential earnings, but they do not dictate the calculation of disability payments in the context of workers’ compensation. Employment sector stability is unrelated to the specific calculations of benefits, which primarily focus on the individual employee's earnings at the time of the injury.