A Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) award is a workers’ comp payment in New York for permanent damage to certain body parts, like an arm, hand, leg, finger, or eye. It is paid as a set number of weeks of benefits, based on how much use of that body part you permanently lost. You can receive an SLU award even after you return to work.
This guide explains which injuries qualify, how the number is calculated, and when the money arrives.
What an SLU award is for
New York divides permanent injuries into two broad groups. SLU awards cover permanent loss to “scheduled” body parts, mostly the arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, toes, eyes, and ears. These are sometimes called “extremity” injuries.
The idea is simple: if your work injury leaves you with lasting limitation in one of those parts, the law assigns a value to that loss in weeks of benefits. It is meant to compensate you for the permanent impairment itself, not just for time you missed from work.
Injuries to the spine, head, lungs, heart, and similar body systems are not scheduled. Those are handled as a classification for permanent disability (PPD or PTD), which works differently. If your injury is to your back or neck, an SLU award usually does not apply.
Which body parts are on the schedule
New York’s Workers’ Compensation Law sets a maximum number of weeks for total loss of each scheduled member. These statutory week counts are fixed by law. The table below shows the maximums for a 100% (total) loss of several common members:
| Body part | Scheduled weeks (100% loss) |
|---|---|
| Arm | 312 weeks |
| Leg | 288 weeks |
| Hand | 244 weeks |
| Foot | 205 weeks |
| Eye (loss of vision) | 160 weeks |
| Thumb | 75 weeks |
| Index finger | 46 weeks |
| Great toe | 38 weeks |
These are the figures for a total loss. Most injuries are partial, so you receive a percentage of the maximum based on your loss of use. The dollar value of those weeks depends on your weekly rate, which is illustrative and varies by wages and injury date.
How the SLU percentage is decided
You become eligible for an SLU award once you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), meaning your condition has healed as much as it is going to. Your treating doctor examines you and assigns a loss-of-use percentage using the Board’s medical guidelines, looking at things like range of motion, strength, and function.
The insurance carrier’s doctor may give a different percentage during an Independent Medical Examination (IME). When the two doctors disagree, a Workers’ Compensation Law Judge (WCLJ) decides the percentage at a hearing. That disagreement is common, and you have the right to be heard in that process.
How and when you get paid
Here is the part many workers do not realize: an SLU award is a fixed number of weeks of benefits regardless of whether you are working. If you have already returned to your job, you can still collect the award, because it is tied to your permanent loss of use, not to current lost wages.
The carrier gets credit for wage-loss benefits it already paid you for that same injury. So if you received, say, 30 weeks of temporary benefits while you were out, those weeks are typically subtracted from the SLU weeks. Any remaining balance is usually paid to you in a lump sum.
Steps that usually lead to an award
- You finish treatment and reach maximum medical improvement.
- Your doctor files a report with a loss-of-use percentage.
- The carrier may schedule an IME for a second opinion.
- If the percentages differ, a judge holds a hearing and sets the figure.
- The award is calculated, prior payments are credited, and the balance is paid.
SLU vs. a Section 32 settlement
An SLU award is not the same as a settlement. An award is the benefit the law owes you for your permanent loss. A Section 32 settlement is a voluntary agreement where you and the carrier agree to close out part or all of your claim for an agreed sum, often giving up future benefits in exchange.
A Section 32 can be a good fit for some workers and a poor one for others, especially if you may need future medical care. Once approved by the Board, it is usually final, so it is worth understanding fully before signing.
Example: a 25% loss of use of the arm
Suppose a doctor finds you have a 25% schedule loss of use of your arm after you reach maximum medical improvement. Here is how the award comes together:
- Start with the maximum. The arm maximum is 312 weeks for a total (100%) loss.
- Apply your percentage. 312 weeks x 25% = 78 weeks of benefits.
- Apply your weekly rate. Those 78 weeks are paid at your weekly comp rate, roughly two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to the state maximum for your injury date. The actual dollar amount varies by case because it depends on your wages and your injury date.
- Credit prior payments. If you already collected, say, 30 weeks of temporary benefits while you were out, those weeks are subtracted, leaving about 48 weeks. The remaining balance is usually paid as a lump sum.
- Returning to work does not matter. Even if you are back on the job, this award is still owed, because it compensates the permanent loss itself.
If the carrier’s IME doctor had assigned a lower percentage, say 15% instead of 25%, a WCLJ would review both medical reports and set the figure at a hearing. That single difference, 10 percentage points on a 312-week member, is dozens of weeks of benefits.
Related on NY Claim Clarity
- What Does New York Workers’ Comp Pay For?
- Permanent Disability Benefits in NY: PPD, PTD, and LWEC
- More on benefits: Your Benefits Explained
SLU awards turn on medical percentages and wage math, and small differences in either can change the result by thousands of dollars. This article is general information, not legal advice; SLU rules, schedules, and benefit amounts depend on your injury date and your specific facts, so consult a New York attorney and see the New York Workers’ Compensation Board at wcb.ny.gov for official guidance. If you have reached maximum medical improvement, or an IME doctor gave you a low number you think is wrong, you can request a free, no-obligation claim review here: .