The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP) administers the federal government’s workers’ compensation programs. OWCP administered 4 primary programs for injured or disabled federal employees: wage replacement benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation and other benefits to qualified workers or their dependents who experience work-related injury or occupational disease.
If you are an injured federal employee trying to obtain some basic information about the federal workers compensation program, you probably felt your head spin as you fell headfirst into a quagmire of forms. For complicating the picture, many forms have different versions, e.g., there’s a Form CA-2 and a Form CA-2(a). The instructions on the forms themselves aren’t super intuitive. So let us break down some of the more widely used forms.
1. Step 1 – Medical Treatment:
1A. Traumatic Injury
If you suffered a traumatic injury within the last 48 hours submit a Form CA-16 Authorization for Examination. Traumatic injuries generally refer to single incidents that cause injury during a single work shift (versus an ongoing issue that worsens overtime), e.g., falling off a ladder. A key benefit of the Form CA-16 is its guarantee that the federal government pays your medical provider NOT YOU.
If injured on the job and require urgent medical care go to the nearest health facility. Your supervisor can assist in arranging transportation so don’t hesitate to ask, or have a coworker notify them on your behalf. In this scenario, you likely won’t have time to complete the Form CA-16. No worries. Your supervisor can authorize the medical treatment via telephone, and then follow up with your provider.
If the injury does not require urgent medical care move to no. 1(B).
1B. Occupational Disease or non-urgent traumatic injury
if you experienced a traumatic injury but do not require urgent medical care (48 hours) OR an occupational disease then submit Form CA-20. Occupational diseases are injuries that occur over several job shifts. Take the form to your supervisor to complete page 1. Once your supervisor does their part, take the form with you and give it to your physician to complete. Specifically, ask them to complete page 2 and submit to the OWCP (follow up with their medical office to ensure timely completion).
2. Step 2 – File Claim
Whether you experienced a traumatic injury or an occupational disease you must register for an account on the Employees’ Compensation Operations and Management Portal (ECOMP).
- Traumatic injuries
Submit FORM CA-1. To complete this you must coordinate closely with your supervisor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration Specialist and Workers’ Compensation Specialist.
-Occupational Disease
Submit FORM CA-2. To complete this you must coordinate closely with your supervisor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration Specialist and Workers’ Compensation Specialist.
All relevant documents concerning your claim for workers’ compensation should be included with your Forms via ECOMP. If this is not possible, contact your Workers’ Compensation Specialist for direction on how to proceed. You will also work with your Workers’ Compensation Specialist in the event you need to provide additional supporting documentation than what you already provided.
For additional reading, review these federal workers compensation resources:
1. https://www.justice.gov/jmd/hr-order-doj/employees-guide-reporting-work-related-injury-or-disease#tc5-1
2. https://www.energy.gov/hc/benefits/workers-compensation-program-owcp
3. https://www.doi.gov/pmb/hr/workerscompensation
4. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp