(A) If it is established that an injured or disabled employee was of such age and experience when injured or disabled as that under natural conditions an injured or disabled employee's wages would be expected to increase, the administrator of workers' compensation may consider that fact in arriving at an injured or disabled employee's average weekly wage.

(B) On each first day of January, the current maximum monthly benefit amounts provided in sections 4123.412, 4123.413, and 4123.414 of the Revised Code in injury cases shall be adjusted based on the United States department of labor's national consumer price index. The percentage increase in the cost of living using the index figure for the first day of September of the preceding year and the first day of September of the year preceding that year shall be applied to the maximums in effect on the preceding thirty-first day of December to obtain the increase in the cost of living during that year.

In determining the increase in the maximum benefits for any year after 1972, the base shall be the national consumer price index on the first day of September of the preceding year. The increase in the index for the applicable twelve-month period shall be determined and shall be divided by the base used. The resulting percentage shall be applied to the existing maximums to arrive at the new maximums.

(C) Effective January 1, 1974, and each first day of January thereafter, the current maximum weekly benefit amounts provided in sections 4123.56, 4123.58, and 4123.59, and division (B) of section 4123.57 of the Revised Code shall be adjusted based on the increase or decrease in the statewide average weekly wage.

"Statewide average weekly wage" means the average weekly earnings of all workers in Ohio employment subject to Chapter 4141. of the Revised Code as determined as of the first day of September for the four full calendar quarters preceding the first day of July of each year, by the director of job and family services.

The statewide average weekly wage to be used for the determination of compensation for any employee who sustains an injury, or death, or who contracts an occupational disease during the subsequent calendar year beginning with the first day of January, shall be the statewide average weekly wage so determined as of the prior first day of September adjusted to the next higher even multiple of one dollar.

Any change in benefit amounts is effective with respect to injuries sustained, occupational diseases contracted, and deaths occurring during the calendar year for which adjustment is made.

In determining the change in the maximum benefits for any year after 1978, the base shall be the statewide average weekly wage on the first day of September of the preceding year.

Effective Date: 07-01-2000 .