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Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

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3. Policy. The Office <strong>of</strong> Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) emphasizes returning partially<br />

disabled workers to suitable employment through vocational rehabilitation efforts (see PM Chapter 2-813).<br />

OWCP will make every reasonable effort to arrange for employment <strong>of</strong> a partially disabled claimant, first<br />

with the employing agency and then with a new employer. This effort will take into account both medical<br />

conditions which pre-existed the injury, and those which arose afterwards.<br />

As a last resort, benefits will be reduced on the basis <strong>of</strong> an estimated earning capacity, based upon a job<br />

not actually held by the claimant, but performed to a reasonable extent in the commuting area and<br />

suitable to the claimant's vocational background. Any medical condition(s) arising after the compensable<br />

injury will not be considered in selecting a job for an estimated earning capacity determination.<br />

2-0814-4 Offers <strong>of</strong> Employment<br />

4. Offers <strong>of</strong> Employment.<br />

a. Offer <strong>of</strong> Modified Duty by Agency. If the agency can provide alternative employment, it will<br />

make an <strong>of</strong>fer <strong>of</strong> light duty to the claimant. A job <strong>of</strong>fer may be solicited by the Rehabilitation<br />

Specialist (RS), Rehabilitation Counselor (RC), Staff Nurse (SN), Claims Examiner (CE), or by the<br />

claimant.<br />

(1) Any such <strong>of</strong>fer must be in writing and must include the following information:<br />

(a) A description <strong>of</strong> the duties to be performed.<br />

(b) The specific physical requirements <strong>of</strong> the position and any special demands <strong>of</strong><br />

the workload or unusual working conditions.<br />

(c) The organizational and geographical location <strong>of</strong> the job.<br />

(d) The date on which the job will first be available.<br />

(e) The date by which a response to the job <strong>of</strong>fer is required.<br />

(2) The agency should also provide pay rate information for the <strong>of</strong>fered job. The agency<br />

should not include any information in the job <strong>of</strong>fer regarding election <strong>of</strong> OPM benefits, since<br />

obtaining an election is solely the responsibility <strong>of</strong> OWCP. A copy <strong>of</strong> the job <strong>of</strong>fer should be<br />

sent to OWCP when it is made and the claimant's response should be provided to OWCP by<br />

the agency when it is received.<br />

If the job <strong>of</strong>fer is made by a non-Federal employer, the RS/RC will provide the information<br />

listed in items (1)(a) to (e), as well as pay rate information.<br />

<strong>FECA</strong>-<strong>PT2</strong> Printed: 06/08/2010 432

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