Section 311 of the Act provides that no compensation is paid for an injury which does not last for at least one week. If the disability lasts beyond one week, the worker is entitled to benefits as of the eighth day after the injury. If a disability continues for two weeks or longer, then the worker is entitled to be paid compensation for the first week of disability.

Benefits continue so long as the worker is disabled. This could be for the rest of his or her life. Benefits are reduced 5 percent each year beginning with the year of the worker's 65th birthday. This reduction continues until the worker is 75 years of age. At that time benefits have been reduced to 50 percent. They continue at that level for the rest of his or her life. (This 5 percent reduction only applies if the worker is receiving social security benefits and is not subject to coordination.)