Federal Employees' Compensation Act
Federal civilian employees and National Guard dual-status technicians are entitled to compensation under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, or FECA, for job-related injuries or illnesses.
Two programs exist for recovery:
Continuation of Pay program
Office of Workman's Compensation Program
Under both programs, the employee may receive compensation for missed work and for health care costs.
An employee must report the injury or occupational illness and disease in a timely fashion. The employee must report a disabling injury within 30 calendar days of its occurrence, and report an occupational illness or disease within three years.
If the employee can continue to work, but not at full capacity, the employee should be assigned to light duties pending recovery.
If it becomes apparent that the employee will not recover sufficiently to perform the essential responsibilities of the job, the employee will be assigned a new position, if one is available for which the employee qualifies, or the employee will be separated from employment.
The employer must make every effort to restore employment to a former employee who has partially recovered from a compensable injury or illness. This may require placing the employee in a different position from that which the employee formerly held.
FECA is the exclusive remedy against the federal government for a job-related injury to a covered employee. Therefore, a civilian employee or technician may not bring a lawsuit against the US or any of its agencies to recover damages for a compensable job-related injury or illness.
