Waltham, MA, June 10, 2025 – Short-tenure workers, meaning those with less than two years of job tenure, continued to account for the largest share of workers’ compensation claims in New Jersey, and that share has grown since 2021, according to a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

“New hires, and shorter-tenure workers more broadly, have grown as a share of the workforce, and of claims, particularly since 2021. Their wages, too, have been growing faster than most other tenure groups, particularly new hires with less than a year on the job, and are a major contributor to the state’s 10 percent annual indemnity growth as of late,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research for WCRI. “Thus, New Jersey provides an effective microcosm of the national labor market trends post-pandemic.”

The following are some other findings from the study:

• Medical payments per claim in New Jersey increased by over 13 percent in 2023, largely driven by high-cost medical claims of over $100,000.
• Total costs per claim in New Jersey remained typical of study states, with higher-than-typical medical and benefit delivery expenses but lower indemnity benefits despite recent growth.

The CompScope™ Benchmarks for New Jersey, 2025 Edition offers an annual overview of changes in indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim. It also compares the New Jersey workers’ compensation system with those in 17 other states across these key metrics. The study covers claims through March 2024, focusing on non-COVID-19 claims and examining the effects of pandemic-related disruptions and labor market shifts from 2019 to 2023.

The report was authored by Evelina Radeva.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

###

Return to Press Releases listing