Federal workers compensation is funding that has been accounted for by the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) to provide federal and postal workers in positions worldwide with benefits they need when they are injured or become ill on the job. This coverage includes more than three million workers for the government. The Division of Federal Employees' Compensation (DFEC) administers benefits for federal workers compensation through a dozen offices in various districts as well as through its national office.
What to do if You are Injured on the Job
It can be very confusing to the average worker who doesn't know how the system works or whether their coverage will pay for certain losses or debts when an injury occurs. When injured on the job, the federal worker can approach their supervisor about the process for filing which usually requires them to complete and submit a CA-1 or CA-2 form. The CA-1 is used when a traumatic injury occurs while the CA-2 is used when a medical condition occurs as a result of the worker's activities performed over a period of time at their job.
For employees who are filing a CA-2, additional information will be required to present evidence as to the type and diagnosis of the disease the worker claims to have developed. For those submitting a CA-1 for an injury received, records that were taken at the time the injury originally occurred will be presented with the form.
Timeline for Filing Federal Workers Compensation
For employees who find themselves wanting to file a claim after some time has passed since the original injury or incident, you will have 3 years from the date of injury to file the claim. Sometimes latent conditions occur so that the injury doesn't present symptoms immediately after the incident. When this occurs, the three-year time period begins either when the injured employee becomes aware of the injury or the time that they should have been aware of a potential connection between the injury and the job. If the person continues to work in the same employment once the medical condition has been identified, the time to file begins on their last exposure date.
Even if the employee fails to file a claim within the 3-year period allowed, they may still receive compensation for their condition if a written notice was presented within 30 days or the employer had knowledge of the employee's injury within 30 days of the date on which it occurred.
Covering Loss of Wages
Federal employees who lose wages due to their injury or medical condition who are on Leave Without Pay status and the condition is one which is accepted on their claim, a form CA-7 will need to be filed with the agency to receive compensation through their federal workers compensation network. An additional form will be required for intermittent claims. Medical documents are required to support any time that you were considered disabled.
