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Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

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. Employee Status. The $200 payment may be made only in cases <strong>of</strong> deceased employees as<br />

defined by Section 8101(1). Therefore, payment is usually not made to members <strong>of</strong> groups to<br />

which <strong>FECA</strong> benefits are extended by separate legislation, such as ROTC cadets, Civil Air Patrol<br />

volunteers, members <strong>of</strong> the <strong>National</strong> Teacher Corps, and non-Federal law enforcement <strong>of</strong>ficers. On<br />

the other hand, Peace Corps and VISTA volunteers and Job Corps enrollees are considered<br />

employees <strong>of</strong> the U.S. as defined in Section 8101(1) and are therefore entitled to payment <strong>of</strong> the<br />

$200.<br />

2-0700-16 Disappearance Cases<br />

16. Disappearance Cases. Under 5 U.S.C. 5565, when a Federal employee has been missing for at<br />

least 12 months and no <strong>of</strong>ficial report <strong>of</strong> death or the circumstances <strong>of</strong> continued absence has been<br />

received, the head <strong>of</strong> the employing agency is authorized to review the case and either continue the<br />

missing status, which may result in a continuance <strong>of</strong> pay status, or make a finding <strong>of</strong> death, which will<br />

terminate pay status. A finding <strong>of</strong> death must include the date on which death is presumed to have<br />

occurred, and a determination made under this section <strong>of</strong> the law is binding on all other agencies <strong>of</strong> the<br />

U.S. Such a determination can therefore be used as pro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> death (in lieu <strong>of</strong> a death certificate) in a<br />

disappearance case. In such cases, especially those occurring outside the U.S., the claimant should be<br />

instructed to request such a determination from the employing agency if one has not been made.<br />

a. Pay Status. In some disappearance cases the employee's pay is terminated as <strong>of</strong> the date<br />

<strong>of</strong> disappearance, while in others it is continued until an <strong>of</strong>ficial finding <strong>of</strong> death is made. The claim<br />

file must show the date the employee's pay stopped, as compensation cannot be paid for any<br />

period prior to that date. If the presumed date <strong>of</strong> death and the date pay stopped are not the<br />

same, the latter date should be used to determine when compensation payments should begin.<br />

b. Findings by Local Courts. In all disappearance cases occurring within the U.S. where a local<br />

court makes a finding <strong>of</strong> death and directs the issuance <strong>of</strong> a death certificate, OWCP will give full<br />

credit to all findings <strong>of</strong> the court and will not challenge the findings in another court. If no finding<br />

<strong>of</strong> death has been made, the claimant should be instructed to request one from a local court.<br />

c. Unusual Cases. In some very unusual cases <strong>of</strong> disappearance, a finding <strong>of</strong> death may not<br />

be made. In such a case, the CE must determine whether death likely occurred and, if so, the date<br />

it occurred. Such a determination will necessarily require discretion and judgment, and the CE<br />

must obtain the best available evidence about the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.<br />

The CE should prepare a memorandum which outlines the facts and provides a recommendation for<br />

the SCE.<br />

<strong>FECA</strong>-<strong>PT2</strong> Printed: 06/08/2010 115

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