In a case where an injured employee with dependents is incarcerated for an unrelated offense, temporary disability benefits otherwise payable are paid to whom?

• A. Paid
• B. Paid to the employee
• C. Paid to the employee's dependents
• D. Paid to the state Treasury to the credit of the Uninsured Employers Fund

Answer: (C)

Temporary disability benefits are wage replacement for an injured worker, normally paid to the employee. When the employee has dependents and is incarcerated for an unrelated offense, the payments are redirected to the dependents to ensure their ongoing support while the employee is unavailable to receive or use the funds. This arrangement protects dependents who rely on that income. The other options don’t fit because the money isn’t kept for the employee in this situation, nor is it diverted to the state Treasury.