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Workers' Compensation for Federal Employees
The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) provides compensation
benefits
to civilian employees of the United States for disability due to
personal injury sustained while in the performance of duty. The
Act also provides for compensation for employment-related disease.
Benefits available to injured employees include rehabilitation, medical,
surgical and necessary expenses. FECA provides compensation to dependents
if the injury or disease causes the employee's death.
FECA is administered by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
(OWCP, U.S. Department of Labor, located in 12 district offices throughout
the United States.
Temporary Disability
FECA provides compensation benefits to federal employees for
temporary disability due to employment-related injury or disease.
The injured employee is entitled to continuation of pay (COP) from the
employing agency for up to 45 days of disability. If the disability
continues for more that 45 days, compensation for lost wages is
payable after a three-day waiting period in a non-paid status. No waiting
period is required, however, if the disability causing the wage loss
lasts longer than 14 days from the time compensation begins.
The injured employee also has the option of using sick leave if it is
to his or her benefit.
COP does not apply to occupational disease or illness cases;
compensation for lost wages is payable after an initial three-day
waiting period in non-paid status. If the disability exceeds 14 days from
the time compensation begins, no waiting period is required.
Permanent Disability
FECA provides compensation benefits based on loss of earnings capacity and
schedule awards for the loss or loss of use of specified members,
organs, and functions of the body when there are permanent effects of
a job-related injury.
Disability Compensation Payout
If the employee has no dependents, compensation is generally payable at the
rate of two-thirds of pre-disability gross wages tax-free; if the employee
has one or more dependants, compensation is payable at the rate of
three-fourths of pre-disability gross wages, tax-free.
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