This 2026 edition of CompScope™ Benchmarks helps policymakers and other system stakeholders identify current cost drivers and emerging trends in the California state workers’ compensation system.

The report provides meaningful comparisons between California and 17 other study states on key measures including costs, income benefits, overall medical payments, use of benefits, duration of temporary disability, frequency and payments of permanent partial disability/lump-sum claims, benefit delivery expenses, timeliness of payments, and other metrics.

It examines how these system performance metrics have changed, primarily from 2020 to 2025, for claims at various claim maturities; in some cases, we use a longer time frame to provide historical context.

Where relevant, we include findings from other recent Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) studies to provide a more comprehensive picture.

CompScope™ Benchmarks for California, 2026 Edition. William Monnin-Browder. April 2026. WC-26-06.