Meljie v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau

**What Happened:** Craig Meljie worked for Gowan Rain Gutter and was injured on the job. When he filed for workers' compensation benefits, the North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau calculated his average weekly wage at $138 to determine his benefit payments. Meljie disagreed with this calculation and argued that the Bureau should have used different methods to figure out his weekly wage, which would have resulted in higher benefits. He also claimed he should receive a minimum disability benefit based on the state's average wage instead of his own earnings. **What the Court Decided:** The North Dakota Supreme Court sided with the Workers Compensation Bureau. The court upheld the $138 weekly wage calculation and rejected Meljie's requests for alternative calculation methods or minimum benefits based on state average wages. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling shows that workers' compensation benefits are typically based on your actual earnings, not what you think you should earn or state averages. If you're injured at work, the compensation bureau will calculate your benefits using specific formulas based on your real wages. Workers should keep good records of their earnings and understand that challenging these calculations in court can be difficult and may not succeed.