(a) OWCP may, in its discretion, provide vocational rehabilitation
services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8104. These services include
assistance from registered nurses working under the direction of OWCP.
Among other things, these nurses visit the worksite, ensure that the
duties of the position do not exceed the medical limitations as
represented by the weight of medical evidence established by OWCP, and
address any problems the employee may have in adjusting to the work
setting. The nurses do not evaluate medical evidence; OWCP claims staff
perform this function.
(b) Vocational rehabilitation services may also include vocational
evaluation, testing, training, and placement services with either the
original employer or a new employer, when the injured employee cannot
return to the job held at the time of injury. These services also
include functional capacity evaluations, which help to tailor individual
rehabilitation programs to employees' physical reconditioning and
behavioral modification needs, and help employees to meet the demands of
current or potential jobs.
