Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

(1) Prior to December 7, 1940. No provision for schedule award.
(2) December 7, 1940 to September 12, 1957. Schedule award for 100 percent loss or
loss of use of major members only; injury must be to schedule member itself. No
entitlement to compensation for loss of wage-earning capacity after expiration of the award.
(On October 14, 1949, the law was amended such that schedule awards were payable
retroactively to October 14, 1948 for "minor" impairments, such as simple fractures, and
retroactive to January 1, 1940 for "major" impairments, such as amputations of hands or
feet or loss of vision.)
(3) September 13, 1957 to July 3, 1966. Broadened coverage such that
schedule impairment did not have to be the only residual of the injury. Permanent
impairment had to be confined to the schedule member, however,
so that if any other "significant disability" existed (i.e., any which would require treatment
or cause loss of wage-earning capacity), no schedule award was payable. However, an
employee who had a significant permanent impairment of a portion of the body not covered
by the schedule provisions (i.e. back) in addition to the loss or loss of use of a schedule
member (i.e. arm) could not receive both a schedule award for the schedule member in
addition to compensation for the loss of wage-earning capacity of the non-schedule
member. In such a case, compensation could only be paid on the basis of loss of
wage-earning capacity.
(4) July 4, 1966 to September 6, 1974. Increased coverage to compensate for loss of
wage-earning capacity after schedule award ended; schedule was payable regardless of
location of other "significant disability." Schedule award available regardless of whether
the injury resulted in impairment to a nonscheduled member (i.e. back) in addition to the
loss or loss of use of a schedule member (i.e. arm). Provision explicitly permitted payment
of both schedule and disability compensation in such circumstances. (Provision was not
made retroactive to any injuries sustained prior to July 4, 1966.)
(5) September 7, 1974 to present. FECA amended to provide for schedule awards
payable for internal organs specified by the Secretary in addition to those indicated in the
FECA. See 5 U.S.C. 8107 (22). The Secretary has added by regulation the following
organs: the breast, kidney, larynx, lung, penis, testicle, tongue, ovary, uterus/cervix and
vulva/vagina. 20 C.F.R. 404.
2-0808-6 Evaluation of Schedule Awards
6. Evaluation of Schedule Awards.
a. Methods of Evaluation. For impairment ratings calculated on and after May 1, 2009, CEs
should advise any physician evaluating permanent impairment to use the American Medical
Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, Sixth Edition, and to report
findings in accordance with those guidelines except as noted below. (Also, see FECA PM 3-0700.)
(1) Impairment to the lungs should be evaluated in accordance with the Guides insofar
as possible. The percentage of "whole man" impairment will be multiplied by 312 weeks
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