No. WSIB does not replace 100 percent of your pay. For most claims (injuries on or after January 1, 1998), the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) pays Loss of Earnings (LOE) benefits at 85 percent of your net average earnings.
Net average earnings means your take-home pay: your gross earnings minus typical deductions for income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums. LOE benefits are not taxed, so WSIB starts from your net pay rather than your gross salary. Benefits are also subject to a yearly maximum on insurable earnings, which can leave higher earners with a larger gap.
How much you receive depends on how much work you can do:
- If you cannot work at all, full LOE benefits are 85 percent of your pre-injury net average earnings.
- If you return to work at fewer hours or lower pay, partial LOE benefits cover 85 percent of the difference between your pre-injury and post-injury earnings.
Some costs are covered in full. WSIB pays 100 percent of approved health care related to your workplace injury, including treatment, prescriptions, and assistive devices. Your employer is also responsible for your regular wages for the day of the injury itself.
One more thing to watch for is deeming. WSIB can reduce your LOE benefits based on wages it decides you could earn in a “suitable occupation,” even if you do not actually have that job. Deeming decisions and benefit calculations are two of the most common reasons injured workers appeal.
The rate may soon change. In April 2026, the Ontario government introduced Bill 105, which would raise LOE benefits from 85 to 90 percent of net average earnings for new claims. As of mid-2026, that change was not yet in force. [VERIFY Bill 105 status before publishing]
If your LOE benefits look lower than expected, or they were cut after a deeming decision, WorkAid can review the numbers with you in a free consultation and explain your appeal options.
