Postal service employee labor manual

This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation. The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation.

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile. The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

Additional training needed postemployment to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation. Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education. The employment, or size, of this occupation in , which is the base year of the employment projections. The projected percent change in employment from to The average growth rate for all occupations is 8 percent.

Menu Search button Search:. Summary Please enable javascript to play this video. Work Environment About this section Although mail carriers work outdoors, sorters and processors typically work indoors. Postal service clerks Postal service mail carriers Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators Projections Central Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information LMI or individual state Employment Projections offices.

CareerOneStop CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. Similar Occupations About this section This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of postal service workers. Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.

What They Do The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. Work Environment The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked.

Pay The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Job Outlook The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. On-the-job Training Additional training needed postemployment to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation. Work experience in a related occupation Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education. Number of Jobs, The employment, or size, of this occupation in , which is the base year of the employment projections.

LAC's are limited postings for employees where an organizational change is occurring. Vacancies will be open and posted for Limited Area of Consideration LAC within your competitive area according to the established timeline for that specific organizational change. Postings will include the appropriate LAC language: "All impacted and non-impacted, qualified EAS career Postal employees who occupy positions in are eligible to apply for this position.

Can I apply using a postal computer at this time? You can search and apply for vacancies on-line in eCareer using your postal computer by logging into Blue, clicking on the My Life tab, and then under Jobs clicking on eCareer. Applying for a job in eCareer is a four-step process: Build your Candidate Profile if you have not already done so , Search for a job vacancy, Apply for the job, and Submit your application before the closing date of the posting.

Is it necessary to address the job requirement portion of a vacancy announcement in eCareer , or may I instead request to be considered for the position noncompetitively? If the vacancy would be a promotion, then you need to apply via eCareer , address all of the requirements, and compete with other employees. However, for vacancies at the same or lower level, employees may request noncompetitive consideration, and this type of request is outside of eCareer.

For lateral or lower level noncompetitive consideration, employees instead must submit a written request to the selecting official indicating their desire to be considered for the position noncompetitively. The written request can be either via email or hardcopy memo. Employees are not to submit noncompetitive requests through eCareer. Although not required, it is to the applicant's advantage when submitting a written request to the selecting official, to attach a copy of their eCareer Candidate Profile, including the Summary of Accomplishments section addressing the job requirements on the posting.

Do I have to use eCareer and address KSAs when applying for a position that has the same occupation code and title? Same occupation codes are the same as a lateral reassignment; therefore, see above answer. Regarding job postings, am I limited to applying for a new job that is lateral and is no more than three grades below? During the RIF avoidance period, affected employees may apply for and compete for any posted vacancy via eCareer and may also voluntarily request consideration for vacant positions at the same grade level or lower level, for which they believe they meet the qualifications.

Voluntary requests for downgrades are not limited to positions that are three grades below that of the RIF impacted employee.

What do I do if a vacancy requires testing? Testing sessions will be offered for any vacancy that requires testing. Headquarters and Headquarters-Field Related employees may contact the HR liaison within their competitive area for assistance if they are interested, and the HR liaison will work with Corporate Personnel Management to schedule those employees for a test. Area and District non-Headquarters employees may contact their Local Services representatives for assistance.

The selecting official evaluates the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the candidates and follows existing guidelines to determine the best-qualified applicant. A candidate is responsible for addressing the KSAs specific to the position, which may include work experience, knowledge gained through training, education or volunteer work.

Details about completing a Candidate Profile and applying for a job are on the eCareer website, which can be accessed using your postal computer by logging into Blue, clicking on the My Life tab, and then under Jobs clicking on eCareer. If I accept a lower level position, can I, at a later date, apply for a position that opened up in my competitive area due to a retirement? Are lateral noncompetitive reassignment positions available during Phase I and II? If interested in requesting consideration for a lateral reassignment or a change to a lower level position, employees must submit a written request to the selecting official indicating their desire to be considered for the position noncompetitively.

Although not required, it is to the applicants' advantage when submitting a written request to the selecting official, to attach a copy of their eCareer Candidate Profile, including the Summary of Accomplishments section addressing the job requirements stated on the posting.

What will the posting schedule be after Phase I and II? It will revert to the regular posting schedule. Vacant positions may be posted in the eCareer system every Tuesday where they remain for a period of fifteen days.

The key is to check eCareer often and maintain an updated profile in the system. Is there a third round of postings planned, and if selected, can I receive saved grade for two years and indefinite salary protection? Residual postings of vacancies may occur under the regular posting process. However, Human Resources strongly recommends submitting a cover memo to any application submitted for the federal government stating that you have been verbally informed that your job has been eliminated and providing the RIF effective date.

How long will I have federal status after resigning from the Postal Service or after I have separated during a RIF from federal employment? In accordance with section of title 39, United States Code Postal Service employees serve under excepted appointments. They do not acquire competitive status or noncompetitive reinstatement eligibility for competitive service jobs in other agencies.

However, by law, an agency may give a noncompetitive appointment transfer to an employee of the Postal Service who meets all the following conditions: The employee's Postal Service appointment has no time limit; and Immediately before appointment in the competitive service, the employee served in the Postal Career Service for at least 30 months on a substantially full-time basis or for at least hours if employed less than full-time; and The employee meets the qualification standard for the position; and The employee will be appointed to the competitive service with no beak in service from Postal Service employment BENEFITS If I am separated from the Postal Service due to a RIF, will I receive any severance pay or benefits for a specific period of time after separation?

What relocation benefits are available during RIF avoidance? If I request a downgrade to a position outside my commuting distance, will I get applicable relocation benefits? Paid relocation benefits are based on whether or not the employee is considered under the competitive or noncompetitive process.

Example 2 - Employee volunteers for equal or lower grade and is considered under the noncompetitive process no competitive applications considered , relocation benefits may be paid based on management's discretion. At the end of two years, indefinite salary protection applies, and if your salary is above the maximum of the lower level position, you will receive a lump sum PFP merit.

If a nonbargaining unit employee voluntarily accepts a lower level position with the two-year salary protection, will the salary go to the lower level if it is not at the maximum of that lower level position? How is the salary calculated after two years? Employees who voluntarily accept a lower level position and have a salary that is within the lower level salary range, are slotted into the salary range.

Saved grade and salary protection are not applicable, because the salary fits the lower level salary range. Employees separated by RIF procedures can request to be placed on the Reinstatement List for two years. The Reinstatement List is valid for vacancies for which they are qualified at or below the grade level at the time of separation within 50 miles of the competitive area from which they were separated.

Will early retirement be available for all or some employees in competitive areas conducting a RIF? A Voluntary Early Retirement Authority approved by the Office of Personnel Management designated the employees covered by the authority. The Postal Service has several authorities that cover positions that may be potentially impacted by organization changes as well as other positions that are non-impacted.

Employees occupying non impacted positions that accept a Voluntary Early Retirement can potentially serve as placement opportunities for impacted employees. Will there be any type of incentives offered? There are no plans to offer any incentives to employees to take early retirement. If I do not find a job with the Postal Service during the RIF period, can I officially retire at age 50 with 31 years of service and receive an immediate annuity, or do I have to wait until age 62 to begin retirement benefits?

If you receive a RIF separation and you are not placed into a job by the RIF effective date and you are in the Civil Service Retirement System CSRS you may be eligible to receive an immediate annuity under discontinued service retirement DSR - provided that you meet either of the following minimum age and service requirements.

You must be: At least age 50 with at least 20 years of creditable service, or Any age with at least 25 years of creditable service as of the effective date of your involuntary separation.

Information on discontinued service retirement annuity can be found on the U. I am a potentially impacted employee who plans to retire before the RIF effective date. Do I need to take any action?

It is recommended, however, that you contact the HR Shared Service Center HRSSC at least days before you plan to retire to begin the process of filling out the necessary forms and setting up counseling to go over your individual retirement situation. This will ensure timely processing of your retirement papers.

If I submit my VER application and decide to retire by the irrevocable date, can I change that decision once I learn that a new vacancy has been posted? The VER has a specific time and date when you can withdraw your retirement application by submitting a Request to Withdraw. After this irrevocable date for VER, you can no longer withdraw your application. There are no exceptions. The DSR will provide an immediate annuity effective the day after the RIF separation date Is there a deadline for optionally eligible retirees to change their mind?

No, there is no deadline to change their mind. Optional retirees can retire at any time of their choosing. At age 53 and with 23 years of service I would be eligible for VER. Or would it be deferred until I reach some age criteria? Based on your years of service 23, and your age 53, if you elect not to take the VER, and you are not placed in a job prior to the RIF effective date, you would be eligible for an immediate annuity under the discontinued service retirement process.

You are not required to wait until age I work for an impacted unit and have a VERA question. I meet the age requirement and have 27 years of service. The retirement annuity will be computed based upon your 27 years of service minus the percentage reduction for being under the age of Using the formula for severance pay, I would be eligible for about 27 weeks of severance pay. If I am involuntarily separated, would these 27 weeks be included in my service time for CSRS annuity calculations when I am old enough to collect?

Since severance pay is an allowance for employees who are involuntarily separated not for cause from the Postal Service in accordance with the provisions of ELM , the period of time covered for severance pay is NOT creditable for retirement purposes. During the RIF avoidance period, management helps employees identify vacant authorized positions for which the affected employees can apply.

When are RIFs necessary? RIF procedures are required when there is an organization or staffing change AND at least one employee will be demoted or separated. What is the RIF timeline? The entire timeline with applicable dates is available on the Organization Change Management website. Does a RIF include all career employees?

On March 17, 18 and 19, he again loses time from work due to the disability. The day period begins to run when the employee returned to work on January 2, because work stoppage occurred at the time of injury, even though it was covered by administrative leave. The employee is entitled to COP for the time lost in February, but is not entitled to COP for time lost in March, as it is more than 45 days since the first return to work.

Interruption and Suspension of COP. Interruption of COP. The employing agency may interrupt COP, or refuse to retroactively convert previously-used leave to COP, if the claimant fails to submit medical evidence supporting disability within 10 calendar days after the claim is submitted unless the employer's own investigation shows disability to exist. However, the CE is still responsible for advising the employee to submit supporting medical evidence and for denying the claim if the evidence is not submitted in a timely manner.

Suspension of COP. If an employee refuses to submit to or obstructs an examination required by the Office under the provisions of 5 U. If a suspension occurs during the COP period, the CE must notify the agency immediately of the suspension and its effective date, per 20 C. COP should not be terminated until one of the following circumstances occurs:. Permanent Workers. Permanent workers are entitled to 45 calendar days of COP unless the employee is scheduled to be separated and suffers a traumatic injury on or before the date of separation.

In this event, the employee will be separated regardless of the injury, and the employee is not entitled to COP after the date of separation, provided the date of termination is in writing prior to the date of injury.

Temporary Workers. Temporary workers are often provided with a notice of appointment which indicates the date on which the appointment is scheduled to expire. The employee is not entitled to COP after the date of expiration. If a temporary worker's term of employment is changed, written notice of the change is necessary to support termination of COP at an earlier date than the original expiration of appointment date.

Specific Occupations. Where termination of COP in a specific case depends upon the termination date of temporary or seasonal employment, the CE should determine the ending date of employment in accordance with the following:. The end date of employment corresponds with the end of the fire season in the geographical area as determined by the U.

Forest Service. The end date of employment occurs the date on which other emergency firefighters in the employee's work group would be terminated due to cessation of activities. The end date of employment occurs on the date on which the employee's assignment was completed.

This is usually the date of completion of the short-term enumerating project or survey for which the employee was hired. Temporary postal workers are usually hired for a specific appointment. The end date of employment corresponds with the date the assignment would have ended were it not for the injury. Claimant can return to Date of Injury job without restrictions based on medical evidence. COP is discontinued when the claimant returns to regular duty. COP is also terminated when the medical evidence supports the claimant is medically capable of returning to the date of injury job without restrictions based on the work-related medical condition.

Claimant can return to modified duty, and a modified duty assignment is provided to the claimant within the established work restrictions.

COP should be terminated when a partially disabled employee returns to a full-time time modified position without official reassignment and without pay loss.

The employee is also expected to accept any reasonable modified assignment which accommodates the established work restrictions as defined by his or her treating physician.

Failure to accept the work offered will result in termination of COP. See paragraph 11 in this chapter. Proximate Cause of Injury is Due to Intoxication. In order to uphold the termination of COP on the basis of intoxication by alcohol or illegal drugs, it must be established that the use of the substance was the proximate cause of the injury. Where use of an illegal drug is alleged, it must be shown that the substance was controlled and that it was obtained or used illegally.

Disciplinary Action. COP may be terminated when a preliminary notice of disciplinary action is issued before the injury and becomes final during the COP period. The CE must ensure that the case record contains documentation that the preliminary notice of termination was in fact issued prior to the date of injury.

Where these conditions are not met, the CE must advise the agency to continue pay. Employing agencies are expected to provide their injured employees with modified alternative-duty assignments during COP whenever possible, and claimants are expected to accept such offers of work.

Acceptance of Modified Duty. If a modified duty assignment is accepted, the following considerations apply:. COP must be charged against the employee's day entitlement if personnel action has been taken to:. See paragraph 12 below. If the employee worked at a lower paying job but received the full pay of his or her normal job, the difference between the employee's regular pay and the pay for the light duty job represents COP paid.

Refusal of a Modified-Duty Assignment. Where the claimant refuses or fails to respond to an offer of work, the CE must determine whether the modified duty assignment is within the claimant's established work restrictions and provide the employee an opportunity to submit his or her reasons for the refusal. When the employing agency's modified-duty offer including the description and physical requirements of the job is received prior to or with the form CA-7, the CE must take the following actions:.

Compensation should be initiated, if appropriate, at the expiration of the COP period. If the work restrictions established by the attending physician are not on file, the employing agency should be asked to submit the medical documentation as soon as possible. Payment of compensation at the end of the COP period should be deferred pending the resolution of the issue, even if the claimant's response indicates the need for further development by the CE.

Termination of entitlement is effective the date the agency terminated COP, rather than the date of the formal decision. The date of the agency's termination of COP should be the date the job was available to the employee.

Once initiated, compensation should continue, as appropriate, until a final determination is made concerning the refusal of the offered work. If payment was made on the supplemental roll, the date of termination should be the date of the employee's refusal or, if the employee did not respond, the end of the day period allowed for response , provided compensation has not been paid beyond that date. If compensation has been paid beyond that date, it should be terminated as of the end of the last period for which payment was made.

Payment of COP. An employee is entitled to payment of COP at his or her regular pay rate, which is the average weekly earnings, including premium, night or shift differential, holiday pay, Sunday premium pay except to the extent prohibited by law, or other extra pay, including FLSA pay for firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and others who earn and use leave on the basis of their entire tour of duty.

See Overtime Pay. Overtime pay may not be included in computing the pay rate for COP purposes. Within-Grade Increases and Promotions. Since COP is payment of salary and not compensation, additional money which the employee would have received but for the injury is included. Regular Work Schedules. This applies to both full-time and part-time employees working on either a permanent or temporary basis, per 20 C. Irregular Work Schedules. For a part-time employee, whether permanent or temporary, who does not work the same number of hours per week, the weekly pay rate is the average of the weekly earnings for the year prior to the date of injury, in accordance with the following formula: Total pay earned during one-year period prior to injury excluding overtime , divided by 52 weeks for the year prior to the injury or prorated if employee worked less than a year.

For purposes of this computation, a partial-work week is counted as an entire week. Intermittent and Seasonal Workers. For intermittent and seasonal workers, whether permanent or temporary, who do not work either the same number of hours or every week of the year, the weekly pay rate is the average of the employee's earnings in Federal employment, excluding overtime, during the year prior to the injury. The average annual earnings, however, must not be less than times the average daily wage earned within one year prior to the date of injury.

The pay rate should be computed using both the year prior and average weekly earnings formulas. The higher result should be accepted as the pay rate for COP. National Guard and Military Reserve Members. Where membership in the National Guard or the military reserve is a condition of employment, COP includes military drill and field training pay only in the limited circumstances where there is an actual loss of military pay. For example, an individual who at the end of the year has not completed the physical training requirements sustains an injury and loses military pay, such loss of military pay must be included in the pay rate for COP purposes.

On the other hand, if the agency is able to provide alternative military training activities to injured Federal employees such that no loss of military pay occurs during the day COP period, the military pay component is not included in the COP pay rate.

Postal Service. Postal Service employees have a three-day waiting period before COP will be granted. They may use annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay during that period, except that if the disability exceeds 14 days or is followed by permanent disability, the Postal Service employee may have that leave restored.

The three waiting days count toward the 45 calendar-day COP entitlement period. Time lost for medical treatment only does not count as work disability and does not count as a waiting period day, and the employee must elect COP on the front of Form CA-1 to request that any previously-used leave be changed to COP. COP and Leave Election. An employee may use annual or sick leave to cover all or part of an absence due to a work injury, but the employee's compensation for disability does not begin, and the waiting period specified by 5 U.

Entitlement to COP may not be delayed or extended beyond the day period by the use of sick or annual leave. Any leave used during the period of eligibility counts towards the day maximum entitlement to COP. If OWCP denies a claim for COP or denies the claim in its entirety , the amount paid will be charged to sick or annual leave at the option of the employee, or shall be deemed an overpayment within the meaning of 5 U.

Leave Restoration. A sick or annual leave election during the day COP period is not considered irrevocable. A leave request slip is not considered a selection of leave when determining COP eligibility. If an employee has elected sick or annual leave for the period and then wishes to elect COP, the agency is required to make such a change on a prospective basis from the date of the employee's request.

If the employee makes a request to change sick or annual leave to COP, the request must be made no later than one year from the date the leave was used or the date the claim was approved, whichever is later. The claimant must provide medical evidence of disability due to the injury.

Upon receipt of a timely request, the employing agency is to convert the sick or annual leave to COP and restore the leave to the employee. If the leave balance of an employee who elects leave is not sufficient to cover all disability during the day COP period, COP may be elected retroactive to the leave exhaustion date and continued wage loss began. When leave is exhausted, the agency is required to convert the employee to COP status immediately without the employee's written election.

Formal Adjudication of COP. The CE should give priority to cases in which COP has been terminated to determine whether the employing agency's action is correct, taking the following steps:.

COP Entitlement Development. If the employing agency improperly controverted COP, with or without stopping the employee's pay, the CE will send Form Letter CA or equivalent to the agency, or include an explanation in the development letter, indicating that the agency should continue payment of the COP pending formal adjudication of the claim.

If additional information is needed prior to adjudicating the claim for COP, the CE shall release an appropriate letter requesting additional information. COP Approval. If the claimant meets the requirements for COP, and if the employing agency did not controvert the claim, a formal approval of COP is not needed, as the claimant is already receiving COP.

If COP was controverted by the employing agency but COP is in fact payable, the CE should release an acceptance letter which specifically includes a provision for approval of COP, indicating the accepted condition s and notifying the claimant of the procedures to follow for claiming compensation following the period of COP. The CE must notify the employing agency when a controverted claim is accepted and COP is approved and must provide a sufficient explanation as to why the employing agency's controversion of the claim was not upheld.

This requirement applies both to controversions erroneously based on one of the nine regulatory exclusions and to those founded on other objections. This also applies to situations where the agency fails to provide a specific reason or argument for the controversion.

COP Denial. COP paid may then be charged, at the employee's option, to sick or annual leave, or be deemed an overpayment subject to collection by the agency. This matter will be resolved by the employing agency without further input from the OWCP. If only a portion of the period of COP can be approved because the employee did not meet his or her responsibilities for eligibility, this decision may be used to deny the remaining portion.

The formal decision should state the dates for which COP is approved, and explain why the other dates claimed are denied. COP Approval for Jurors. In a case where a juror who is also a Federal employee is eligible for COP, the CE should forward a copy of Form CA-1 to the employing agency, advising it to continue the employee's pay beginning the day after the date of the employee's termination of service as a juror.

If medical evidence demonstrates that disability is expected to continue beyond 45 days, the employer should give Form CA-7 to the employee by the 30th day of the COP period and submit the completed form to the OWCP by the 40th day of the COP period if a completed form is returned by the employee.

In order to ensure that claimants are not without income during the period immediately following payment of COP, the CE must advise the claimant and employing agency promptly of any necessary information needed in order to pay the claim.

Note though that the claimant is primarily responsible for submitting CA-7 forms to the employing agency and furnishing medical evidence that substantiates disability for the period claimed. If an initial CA-7 is received immediately following the COP period , the CE may use the authority provided by the FECA to approve a payment for a period not to exceed 15 days into the future 15 days post termination of COP , if disability for the period is medically supported and the employing agency verifies that the claimant has not returned to work at the time the payment is processed.

This authority does not extend to occupational disease claims and applies only to the initial day period following COP in cases of traumatic injury.

The employee and the agency should be advised that further payment requires a formal claim and appropriate supporting evidence, as the Office is not obligated to continue paying compensation without such submission. If the claim was submitted in advance, however, the CE should verify by telephone that the employee has not returned to work at the time of processing the payment.

When the period ends on the date the CE is setting up payment, and medical evidence clearly establishes that disability will extend 15 days or more after the beginning of wage loss, the CE may extend the period approved for payment through the 15th day if such an extension will eliminate the need to withhold waiting days.

Subsequent Claims for Compensation. The discretion to process a payment for dates into the future applies only to initial claims for compensation following COP in traumatic injury cases, as outlined above. This chapter outlines the difference between impairment and disability, and focuses primarily on the procedures for the development, adjudication and payment of schedule award claims.

Impairment and Disability. Impairment is a medical concept, and any evaluation of impairment must rest upon medical evidence. Disability, on the other hand, is an economic concept which reflects a claimant's inability to earn wages comparable to those received before the injury. The degree of impairment is a major factor in evaluating disability, but it is not the only one; others include age, education, and work history.

The kinds of permanent disability and impairment are as follows:. Claimants are rarely considered to have disability which is permanent and total in nature. In disability which is permanent in nature but only partial, compensation is based on the difference between the wages earned at the time of injury, disability, or recurrence, and the wages the claimant is capable of earning after the injury.

This difference is called loss of wage-earning capacity LWEC. Permanent Impairment. This term is defined as the loss or loss of use of a part of the body, whether total or partial. The degree of impairment is established by medical evidence and expressed as a percentage of loss of the member involved. Permanent impairment may originate either within the affected member or in another part of the body. For instance, a back injury may result in impairment to a leg, for which a schedule award would be payable.

See, Veronica Williams , 56 ECAB ECAB noted that the members and functions listed in the schedule award provision and the regulation do not include impairments of the back or the body as a whole. A claimant, though, may be entitled to a schedule award for a permanent impairment to the leg if the cause of the impairment originated in the spine citing: John Litwinka , 41 ECAB , which noted that Section a 1 of the FECA states a schedule award is "payable regardless of whether the cause of the disability originates in a part of the body other than that member.

A claimant may also receive an award for more than one part of the body in connection with a single injury. Permanent Total Disability. The FECA provides that loss of both hands, arms, feet, or legs, or the loss of sight of both eyes is prima facie evidence of permanent total disability. It does not mean, however, that a claimant in this medical condition should be automatically declared permanently and totally disabled.

In very few other cases is it necessary or desirable to make a determination of permanent and total disability. Such a determination confers no additional benefit on the claimant, and it could result in forfeiture of other rights that a claimant may possess under other Federal laws. In the rare instance where such a determination is appropriate, it should be based on the evaluations of the attending physician or other physicians who have examined the claimant.

Such a determination does not supersede any award which may be payable for a schedule impairment. Whenever a case involves both permanent total disability and schedule impairment, the CE should pay the schedule award and then continue compensation for permanent and total disability at the expiration of the schedule award.

It may be necessary to first obtain an election if the claimant is also receiving an annuity from the Office of Personnel Management OPM. Note - There is no specific case status to differentiate or classify a claimant as permanently, totally disabled as defined by 5 U. Entitlement to Schedule Awards. Permanent impairment to certain parts of the body will entitle the claimant to an award of compensation payable for a set number of weeks.

The Claims Examiner CE should monitor medical reports for the possibility of eventual impairment to a schedule member and the date by which maximum medical improvement MMI is expected. If it appears that a schedule award may be payable, the CE should advise the claimant via Form CA, or the equivalent, of his or her possible entitlement to such an award. Cases of this type should be developed to determine the prior usefulness of the member or function and whether the injury in Federal employment has diminished any such usefulness, in whole or in part.

See, e. However, a schedule award may be paid concurrently with salary reimbursement under the Assisted Reemployment Program. If the injury occurred on or after September 13, , the schedule award may be paid concurrently with benefits under the U. Civil Service Retirement Act. As noted above, however, time lost for disability surrounding the appointment if any cannot be paid concurrently with a schedule award.

The claimant files for total disability under another claim for the same period due to undergoing right carpal tunnel surgery. Compensation claimed for total disability cannot be paid since compensation involves the same extremity, the right arm. See J. In certain situations, a claimant may be entitled to receive a lump sum payment of his or her schedule award.

Under 5 U. See Sandra Henley , Docket No. The ECAB affirmed the denial of a schedule award benefit to a widow where her husband who was injured in a terrorist bombing had not filed a claim for a schedule award during his lifetime. The ECAB found a valid claim, in writing and with words of claim, filed by the employee or someone on his behalf must be made during the employee's lifetime. History of Entitlement. Entitlement to schedule awards has been affected by various legislative changes over the years.

Following is a description of coverage afforded by the FECA during various periods according to date of injury:. No provision for schedule award. Schedule award for 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 LWEC after expiration of the award. On October 14, , the law was amended such that schedule awards were payable retroactively to October 14, for "minor" impairments, such as simple fractures, and retroactive to January 1, for "major" impairments, such as amputations of hands or feet or loss of vision.

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. However, an employee who had a significant permanent impairment of a portion of the body not covered by the schedule provisions i.

In such a case, compensation could only be paid on the basis of LWEC. Increased coverage to compensate for LWEC after schedule award ended; schedule was payable regardless of location of other "significant disability. Provision explicitly permitted payment of both schedule award and disability compensation in such circumstances. Provision was not made retroactive to any injuries sustained prior to July 4, Method of Evaluation.

Evidence Required. To support a schedule award, the file must contain competent medical evidence which:. In members with dual functions, the physician should address both functions according to the AMA Guides. The percentage of "whole man" impairment will be multiplied by weeks twice the award for loss of function of one lung to obtain the number of weeks payable; all such awards will be based on the loss of use of both lungs.

In cases involving anatomical loss by traumatic injury or surgery, the evaluation will also be based on loss of lung tissue by weight or volume, and the award will be based on these factors if it results in a greater percentage of loss than one based on loss of respiratory function. Anatomical loss awards will be made for one or both lungs as appropriate. Impairment applicable to pain is inclusive as a component of the medical condition diagnosis and not measured separately unless the pain does not correlate with objective findings or body part dysfunction.

Chapter 3 of the Guides discusses evaluation of pain if it is not classifiable in the diagnosis based impairment. An example would be fibromyalgia, or pain due to a sprain where no objective findings or identifiable abnormalities are noted. In no circumstances, though, should the pain-related impairment developed under Chapter 3 be considered as an add-on to impairment determinations based on the criteria listed in Chapters 4 — While the FECA does not allow payment for impairment to the spine, a schedule award can be paid for the extremities if a spinal injury leads to impairment of the arms or legs.

With the most recent regulatory update at 20 C. Chapter 8 in the AMA Guides outlines specific criteria to be considered when calculating permanent impairment of the skin. In assessing skin impairment, the physician must evaluate the severity of the condition; the frequency, intensity, and complexity of the medical condition and treatment regimen; and the impact of the condition on the ability to perform Activities of Daily Living ADLs.

ADLs include bathing, dressing, eating, personal hygiene, etc. BOTC includes, but is not limited to, the following kinds of activities: soaking affected skin daily; applying topical medications on a regular basis; avoiding sun exposure; and attending phototherapy sessions on a routine basis.

A schedule award for the skin can be paid in addition to any disfigurement award. Rated impairment should reflect the total loss as evaluated for the scheduled member i.