Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

2-0804-18 Employing Agency Physical Fitness Programs
18. Employing Agency Physical Fitness Programs. A number of employing agencies have instituted
structured Physical Fitness Programs (PFPs), which typically include agency-appointed fitness
coordinators, physical assessment tests and structured exercise while off duty. If the employee's position
requires that a certain level of fitness be maintained, work time may be allocated for exercise. Employees
enrolled in PFPs maintain logs of their program exercises and report to fitness coordinators, who have
been trained by the agency to monitor progress and to give advice on matters related to physical fitness.
Considering the degree of agency management, support and encouragement of PFPs, and the expressed
benefits to the government anticipated from employee participation, employees enrolled in a PFP are in
the performance of duty for FECA purposes while doing authorized PFP exercise, including off-duty
exercises performed under the auspices of the fitness program.
a. Injuries and occupational diseases arising from participation in an employing agency's PFP
are compensable under the FECA. Participation will not always occur during regular work hours,
and not always on the employing establishment's premises.
b. Employees who are injured while exercising or participating in a recreational activity during
authorized lunch or break periods in a designated area of the employing establishment premises
have the coverage of the Act whether or not the exercise or recreation was part of a structured
PFP. Injuries which occur during the use of fitness and recreational facilities furnished by the
employing establishment outside of official work hours, on or off the premises, are not
compensable if the employee was not participating in a structured PFP. The mere fact that the
employing establishment allows employees to use its facilities on their own time does not create a
sufficient connection to the employment to bring any resulting injury within the coverage of the
Act.
c. All Forms CA-1 which attribute an injury to PFP activity must be accompanied by a
statement from the employee's supervisor indicating that the employee was enrolled in the PFP,
and that the injury was sustained while the employee was performing authorized exercises under
the program. An assessment test provided as a part of the program or in a related screening
process is considered a program-authorized exercise. The employee's supervisor must verify that
the facts are as described on Form CA-1. If the statement from the supervisor is not submitted
with Form CA-1 it must be requested. The supervisor must obtain this information from the fitness
coordinator.
d. Where a Form CA-2 is filed claiming that an occupational disease is causally related to the
PFP participation, the employee is required to state specifically what activities caused the condition.
A statement must be obtained from the supervisor showing what exercises were approved to
ensure that the activities performed were authorized under the program.
e. All employees in a PFP must receive medical clearance to participate. CEs must request a
copy of the medical examination report in every case.
2-0804-19 Deleterious Effects of Medical Services Furnished by the Employing Establishment
19. Deleterious Effects of Medical Services Furnished by the Employing Establishment. Public Law No.
79-658, approved August 8, 1946, authorized Federal agencies and government-owned and controlled
corporations to establish, by contract or otherwise, health service programs to provide health services for
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