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Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

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2-0808-5 Entitlement to Schedule Awards<br />

5. Entitlement to Schedule Awards. Permanent impairment to certain parts <strong>of</strong> the body will entitle the<br />

claimant to an award <strong>of</strong> compensation payable for a set number <strong>of</strong> weeks.<br />

a. General Considerations.<br />

(1) The length <strong>of</strong> the award is determined by the provisions <strong>of</strong> 5 U.S.C. 8107, which also<br />

lists the parts <strong>of</strong> the body which may be considered for such an award. Additional parts <strong>of</strong><br />

the body which may be considered are listed in 20 CFR 10.404.<br />

(2) In some instances a schedule award may be payable even if the claimant had a<br />

pre-existing loss or loss <strong>of</strong> use <strong>of</strong> 100 percent <strong>of</strong> a member or<br />

function <strong>of</strong> the body. Cases <strong>of</strong> this type should be developed to determine the prior<br />

usefulness <strong>of</strong> the member or function and whether the injury in Federal employment has<br />

diminished any such usefulness, in whole or in part.<br />

(3) A schedule award is payable consecutively but not concurrently with an award for<br />

wage loss for the same injury. However, a schedule award may<br />

be paid concurrently with salary reimbursement under the Assisted Reemployment Program.<br />

If the injury occurred on or after September 13, 1957, the schedule award may be paid<br />

concurrently with benefits under the U. S. Civil Service Retirement Act.<br />

(4) A schedule award for one injury may be paid concurrently with compensation for<br />

wage loss paid for another injury, as long as the two injuries do not involve the same part<br />

<strong>of</strong> the body and/or extremity. For example, a claimant is currently receiving a schedule<br />

award for 10% permanent partial impairment <strong>of</strong> the right arm due to a work-related right<br />

rotator cuff tear. The claimant files for temporary total disability under another claim for the<br />

same period due to undergoing right carpal tunnel surgery. Compensation claimed for<br />

temporary total disability cannot be paid since compensation involves the same extremity,<br />

the right arm. See JB, Docket No. 08-1178 issued December 22, 2008; and VP, Docket No.<br />

07-1158 issued December 17, 2007.<br />

(5) Schedule awards unpaid at death. Under 5 U.S.C. 8109, if an individual has<br />

sustained impairment compensable under section 8107(a) <strong>of</strong> this title; has filed a valid<br />

claim in his lifetime; and dies from a cause other than the injury before the end <strong>of</strong> the<br />

period specified by the schedule, the compensation specified by the schedule that is unpaid<br />

at his death, whether or not accrued or due at his death, shall be paid in accordance with<br />

the order <strong>of</strong> precedence specified by the statute. See Sandra Henley, Docket No. 00-1619<br />

issued April 4, 2002. (The ECAB affirmed the denial <strong>of</strong> a schedule award benefit to a<br />

widow where her husband who was injured in a terrorist bombing had not filed a claim for a<br />

schedule award during his lifetime. The ECAB found a valid claim (in writing and with words<br />

<strong>of</strong> claim) filed by the employee or someone on his behalf must be made during the<br />

employee’s lifetime.)<br />

b. History <strong>of</strong> Entitlement. Entitlement to schedule awards has been affected by various<br />

legislative changes over the years. Following is a description <strong>of</strong> coverage afforded by the <strong>FECA</strong><br />

during various periods according to date <strong>of</strong> injury:<br />

<strong>FECA</strong>-<strong>PT2</strong> Printed: 06/08/2010 298

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