Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

2-0600-2 Policy
2. Policy. The purpose of this paragraph is to describe the projected outcomes of claims and the time
frames for accomplishing them.
a. Outcomes. The most likely outcomes are as follows (all but the first assume disabling
injury-related residuals):
(1) Complete recovery from employment-related disability without wage loss;
(2) Return to modified work with the previous employer and without wage loss;
(3) Return to work with a new employer and without wage loss, or with the previous or
new employer and with a loss of wage-earning capacity (LWEC);
(4) Determination of LWEC without actual job placement, after OWCP has made
reasonable efforts to return the claimant to work and has advised the claimant of his or her
rights and responsibilities;
(5) Application of sanctions for non-cooperation with the OWCP's rehabilitation and
reemployment efforts, with eventual reduction or termination of benefits where necessary;
(6) Determination that the claimant has no current wage-earning capacity (assignment
of case status PN).
Paragraphs 3-12 below address how CEs, OWCP nurses, and vocational rehabilitation personnel
help claimants return to work.
b. Time Frames. Each step in the re-employment process has a time frame.
(1) Within one year of the date wage loss began, the OWCP will have issued a decision
to most claimants with a disabling job-related injury or occupational illness. This decision
will state that the claimant has:
(a) Completely recovered from employment-related disability and thus has no
ongoing entitlement to compensation for wage loss;
(b) Returned to work with the previous employer, either at full duty, full-time
light duty, or part-time light duty. Such a decision will include an LWEC
determination;
(c) Returned to work with a private employer or another Federal agency, and
include an LWEC decision; or
FECA-PT2 Printed: 06/08/2010 54