The Utah workers compensation act — formally the Utah Workers’ Compensation Act (Utah Code 34A-2-101, Title), found at Utah Code Title 34A (Utah Labor Code), Chapter 2, 34A-2-101 et seq. (occupational disease is a separate act, the Utah Occupational Disease Act, Chapter 34A-3) — is the statute behind every workers’ comp claim, benefit and employer mandate in the state.
This plain-English guide to the Utah workers compensation act gives the section numbers next to the rules people actually need: who must be covered, the deadlines, the waiting period, the pay rate, the exclusive-remedy bargain, the ban on retaliation and the penalties. Verified against the official code as of October 2026.
Utah at a Glance
| Official name | Workers’ Compensation Act (Utah Code 34A-2-101, Title) |
| Where it lives | Utah Code Title 34A (Utah Labor Code), Chapter 2, 34A-2-101 et seq. (occupational disease is a separate act, the Utah Occupational Disease Act, Chapter 34A-3) |
| First enacted | 1917 (from memory only; no .gov source checked) |
| Reporting deadline | The worker generally must notify the employer or the Division of Industrial Accidents within 180 days of the injury, or the claim is barred (34A-2-407). Occupational hearing loss has a different period. |
| Filing deadline | The worker generally must file an Application for Hearing within 6 years of the accident. Benefits are also generally limited to 12 years from the injury date (34A-2-417). Confirm details with the Labor Commission and a licensed attorney. |
| Exclusive remedy | 34A-2-105 makes workers’ comp the exclusive remedy against the employer and its officers, agents and employees. The main exception is intentional injury, and it comes from Utah Supreme Court case law, not the statute’s text. Third-party claims against non-employers are preserved under 34A-2-106. |
In This Utah Guide:
What the Utah Workers Compensation Act Is
An workers’ compensation act is an no-fault deal written into state law: the employer pays for work injuries without the worker proving fault, and the worker gives up most lawsuits against the employer in return. The Utah workers compensation act dates to 1917 (from memory only; no .gov source checked). It lives at Utah Code Title 34A (Utah Labor Code), Chapter 2, 34A-2-101 et seq.
(occupational disease is a separate act, the Utah Occupational Disease Act, Chapter 34A-3), and the official text is linked in the sources. Utah keeps occupational disease in a separate act (34A-3). TTD is capped at 312 weeks at 100% of the state average weekly wage within 12 years (34A-2-410). The Uninsured Employers’ Fund (34A-2-704) may pay benefits when an employer is uninsured or insolvent.
Benefit rates reset every July 1 in the Labor Commission’s Quick Reference Guide, so confirm current figures with the Labor Commission and a licensed attorney.
Who the Utah Workers Compensation Act Covers
34A-2-201 requires employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage, and 34A-2-103 defines who counts as an employer. Generally any employer with 1 or more employees, including the state, counties, cities, towns and school districts. 34A-2-104 (with the definitions in 34A-2-103). A domestic employer is exempt unless it employs at least one employee for 40 or more hours per week. An agricultural employer is exempt for immediate-family workers.
It is also exempt for other workers when their annual payroll is under 50000, though employers with payroll between 8000 and 50000 that fail to keep the required insurance are treated differently. Exempt agricultural and domestic employers may opt in. 34A-2-406 exempts employees working in Utah temporarily, under conditions.
Deadlines in the Utah Workers Compensation Act
Waiting period: 34A-2-408. There is a 3-day waiting period, and those 3 days are paid if temporary total disability lasts more than 14 days. Medical, hospital and funeral expenses are payable from day 1.. Wage-loss rate: 34A-2-410. Temporary total disability is 66-2/3% of the worker’s average weekly wage, up to 100% of the state average weekly wage (1376 per week for injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027).
The minimum is 45 per week, plus 20 for a dependent spouse and 20 for each dependent child under 18, up to 4 children. TTD is capped at 312 weeks within 12 years of the injury..
Utah Workers Compensation Act: Key Sections at a Glance
The sections of the Utah workers compensation act that decide most cases, each with its citation:
| Coverage mandate | 34A-2-201 requires employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage, and 34A-2-103 defines who counts as an employer. Generally any employer with 1 or more employees, including the state, counties, cities, towns and school districts. |
| Exemptions | 34A-2-104 (with the definitions in 34A-2-103). A domestic employer is exempt unless it employs at least one employee for 40 or more hours per week. An agricultural employer is exempt for immediate-family workers. It is also exempt for other workers when their annual payroll is under 50000, though employers with payroll between 8000 and 50000 that fail to keep the required insurance are treated differently. Exempt agricultural and domestic employers may opt in. 34A-2-406 exempts employees working in Utah temporarily, under conditions. |
| Report an injury | The worker generally must notify the employer or the Division of Industrial Accidents within 180 days of the injury, or the claim is barred (34A-2-407). Occupational hearing loss has a different period. |
| File a claim | The worker generally must file an Application for Hearing within 6 years of the accident. Benefits are also generally limited to 12 years from the injury date (34A-2-417). Confirm details with the Labor Commission and a licensed attorney. |
| Waiting period | 34A-2-408. There is a 3-day waiting period, and those 3 days are paid if temporary total disability lasts more than 14 days. Medical, hospital and funeral expenses are payable from day 1. |
| Wage-loss rate | 34A-2-410. Temporary total disability is 66-2/3% of the worker’s average weekly wage, up to 100% of the state average weekly wage (1376 per week for injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027). The minimum is 45 per week, plus 20 for a dependent spouse and 20 for each dependent child under 18, up to 4 children. TTD is capped at 312 weeks within 12 years of the injury. |
| Exclusive remedy | 34A-2-105 makes workers’ comp the exclusive remedy against the employer and its officers, agents and employees. The main exception is intentional injury, and it comes from Utah Supreme Court case law, not the statute’s text. Third-party claims against non-employers are preserved under 34A-2-106. |
| Uninsured employer penalty | Under 34A-2-211 the Division can issue a notice of noncompliance and enforce it. The penalty is the greater of 1000 or 3 times the premium the employer would have paid, deposited in the Uninsured Employers’ Fund (34A-2-704). |
| Who hears disputes | 34A-2-801. Disputed claims start with an Application for Hearing before an administrative law judge in the Labor Commission’s Adjudication Division. Decisions can be reviewed by the Commissioner or the Appeals Board, then appealed to the Utah Court of Appeals. |
The Exclusive-Remedy Bargain in the Utah Workers Compensation Act
34A-2-105 makes workers’ comp the exclusive remedy against the employer and its officers, agents and employees. The main exception is intentional injury, and it comes from Utah Supreme Court case law, not the statute’s text. Third-party claims against non-employers are preserved under 34A-2-106.
Retaliation and Penalties Under the Utah Workers Compensation Act
The Utah workers compensation act bars an employer from firing, demoting or punishing a worker for filing a claim; the remedy is a separate lawsuit or an agency complaint, with reinstatement and back pay available. Under 34A-2-211 the Division can issue a notice of noncompliance and enforce it.
The penalty is the greater of 1000 or 3 times the premium the employer would have paid, deposited in the Uninsured Employers’ Fund (34A-2-704). 34A-2-801. Disputed claims start with an Application for Hearing before an administrative law judge in the Labor Commission’s Adjudication Division. Decisions can be reviewed by the Commissioner or the Appeals Board, then appealed to the Utah Court of Appeals.
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Recent Amendments to the Utah Workers Compensation Act
No amendment to the Utah workers compensation act effective in 2024, 2025 or 2026 was identified in the official code at verification time. Benefit maximums still change every year under the existing sections.
How to Read the Utah Workers Compensation Act
Statute pages are written for lawyers, so read the Utah workers compensation act in this order: the definitions section (who is an employee), the coverage section, then the specific section for your question, using the citations above. The official code is the source; the summaries on legal-information sites are not.
If a section of the Utah workers compensation act seems to conflict with what an insurer told you, the section wins — and the state agency’s information line can confirm it for free.
Applying the act: the Utah claim guide turns these sections into steps and dates, and the Utah requirements guide covers the employer side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Utah workers compensation act in the code?
Utah Code Title 34A (Utah Labor Code), Chapter 2, 34A-2-101 et seq. (occupational disease is a separate act, the Utah Occupational Disease Act, Chapter 34A-3). The sources below link to the official text.
How long do I have to report a work injury under the Utah act?
The worker generally must notify the employer or the Division of Industrial Accidents within 180 days of the injury, or the claim is barred (34A-2-407). Occupational hearing loss has a different period.. Report in writing as soon as possible either way.
Can I sue my employer instead of using the Utah workers compensation act?
Usually not — the exclusive-remedy section bars most lawsuits against a covered employer. Claims against third parties, and against an uninsured employer, are the common exceptions.
Official Utah Sources & Resources
- Utah Utah Labor Commission, Division of Industrial Accidents (disputes go to the Commission’s Adjudication Division): https://laborcommission.utah.gov/divisions/industrial-accidents/
- Utah Workers’ Comp Statute: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title34A/Chapter2/34A-2.html
- U.S. Department of Labor — Workers’ Comp: dol.gov
- Insurance Information Institute: iii.org
This Utah workers compensation act guide was last verified against official Utah sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
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Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers Comp Explained is an independent educational resource, not a law firm or insurer. Workers’ comp benefits, settlement values, deadlines, and requirements vary by state and by the specific facts of your injury and change over time, and any settlement figures here are illustrative only.
Confirm your rights and any deadline with your state’s workers’ compensation board and a licensed attorney before you act.