Injury Compensation
Claims under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act due to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 makes it easier for federal workers diagnosed with COVID-19 to establish coverage under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).
File a FECA Claim for COVID-19
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that President Biden signed on March 11, 2021, makes it much easier for federal workers diagnosed with COVID-19 to establish coverage under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act.
How to File a Claim
Important information about what to do if you are injured at work, to include how to file a claim.
ECOMP Employee FAQs
Comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions for employees related to the Federal Employees' Compensation Act.
ECOMP Employee Training
This training provides employees with the steps necessary to submit CA-1/CA-2 forms using the Employees' Compensation Operations & Management Portal (ECOMP) application.
ECOMP Filing Fact Sheet 2019
Steps to file a new claim using the Employees' Compensation Operations & Management Portal (ECOMP) application.
ECOMP Supervisor FAQs
Comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions for supervisors related to the Federal Employees' Compensation Act.
- Report to Supervisor
Every job-related injury should be reported as soon as possible to your supervisor. Injury also means any illness or disease that is caused or aggravated by the employment as well as damage to medical braces, artificial limbs and other prosthetic devices. (See important Note on how to access Video Tools) - Obtain Medical Care
Before you obtain medical treatment, ask your supervisor to authorize medical treatment by use of form CA-16. You may initially select the physician to provide necessary treatment. This may be a private physician or, if available, a local Federal medical officer/hospital. Emergency medical treatment may be obtained without prior authorization. Take the form CA-16 and form OWCP-1500/HCFA-1500 to the provider you select. The form OWCP-1500/HCFA 1500 is the billing form physicians must use to submit bills to OWCP. Hospitals and pharmacies may use their own billing forms. On occupational disease claims form CA-16 may not be issued without prior approval from the Army Benefits Center-Civilian, Injury Compensation Center of Excellence (ABC-C, ICCoE). - File Written Notice
In traumatic injuries, complete the employee's portion of Form CA-1 by going to www.ecomp.dol.gov, register for an account and then fill out the form, the form will then be routed to your supervisor. Please be sure to answer each block with enough information so the Supervisor, Agency Representative or the Claims Examiner at the Department of Labor can process your claim effectively. For occupational disease, use form CA-2 instead of form CA-1. For more detailed information carefully read the "Benefits ..." and "Instructions ..." sheets which are attached to the Forms CA-1 and CA-2 - Obtain Receipt of Notice
You will receive an ECOMP DCN number when you file a claim that is your “receipt number” for when you file your claim, this is not your claim number. - Submit Claim For COP/Leave and/or Compensation for Wage Loss
If disabled due to traumatic injury, you may claim continuation of pay (COP) not to exceed 45 calendar days or use leave. A claim for COP must be submitted no later than 30 days following the injury (the form CA-1 is designed to serve as a claim for continuation of pay). If disabled and claiming COP, submit to your employing agency within 10 workdays medical evidence that you sustained a disabling traumatic injury. If disabled beyond the COP period, or if you are not entitled to COP, you may claim compensation on form CA-7 or use your own sick/annual leave that you may be able to buy back later. If disabled due to occupational disease, you may claim compensation on form CA-7 or use your own sick/annual leave that you may be able to buy back later. A claim for compensation for disability should be submitted as soon as possible after it is apparent that you are disabled and will enter a leave-without-pay status (LWOP).
Note: First, you may visit the DOL ECOMP page at www.ecomp.dol.gov On the top right corner you will see a topic under Help titled, "User Guides" and a clickable link titled, "Injured Worker", on the next screen you will select the appropriate Form for Filing (Filing Form CA-1, or CA-2). It is recommended that you select Click here to view a video tutorial. The CA-1 and CA-2 videos are about 7 minutes. You may pause the video as you work through each step of the process.
Questions or concerns about your Workers' Compensation Claim should first be handled with your First Line Supervisor. Remember, the Supervisor and the ABC-C, ICCOE are the Agency, if you require assistance with what you should be including in your claim submission you will need to speak to your employee representative. Neither the Supervisor nor the ABC-C, ICCOE may provide guidance on what you should do, they may only provide the tools necessary for filing your claim.
You may also contact the Army Benefits Center-Civilian (ABC-C), Injury Compensation Center of Excellence (ICCoE) at 1-866-792-7620.
- OCWP Wage Loss
- Adjudicating Your Claim
- Medical Care
- OCWP Billing Process
- Department of Labor Frequently Asked Questions
While compensation is usually claimed in two-week increments to conform to standard Federal pay periods, compensation checks are issued on a weekly or four-weekly basis. Payments of compensation for brief periods of temporary total disability or schedule impairments are issued on a weekly basis, while longer-term payments for disability, schedule award and death are made every four weeks. Payments may be sent to the beneficiary or to a financial institution which he or she designates but they may not be sent in care of the employee's representative unless guardianship or conservatorship is established.
Compensation payments are based on a percentage of the employee's salary (or a statutory pay rate). Payments are computed by multiplying the applicable percentage by the wage rate and increasing the result by any cost-of-living increases to which the beneficiary is entitled.
For both disability and death claims, the pay rate used to compute payments is the one in effect on the date of injury, date of recurrence or date disability began, whichever is higher. Thus, the pay rate for compensation purposes may change over the life of a claim.The salary used to compute compensation is not affected, however, by general increases in the rate paid for the employee's grade and step.Moreover, the pay rate is not affected by any promotion or raise the employee might have received in the future.
Additional Elements of Pay included in the salary are: night shift; Sunday differential; holiday pay; hazard pay; dirty work pay; quarters allowance and post differential for overseas employees and extra pay authorized by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for employees who receive annual premium pay for standby duty and who also earn and use leave on the basis of their entire tour of duty, including periods of standby duty. Overtime pay is not included, except for administratively uncontrollable work covered under 5 U.S.C. 5545(c)(2).
Agency Responsibilities
Once the employer learns of a traumatic injury sustained by an employee, it shall provide a Form CA-1 and Form CA-16 to authorize medical care and advise and inform the employee
Continuation of Pay (COP)
For most employees who sustain a traumatic injury, the FECA provides that the employer must continue the employee's regular pay during any periods of resulting disability, up to a maximum of 45 calendar days. This is called continuation of pay, or COP.
Employee Responsibilities
An employee who sustains a traumatic injury which he or she considers disabling, or someone authorized to act on his or her behalf, must take certain actions to ensure continuing eligibility for COP.
