One thought on “APWU Members Need a Human Relations Director”

1. Union and NAME of Local/Branch
   APWU (South Jersey Area Local)
   Office held, if any
   Retired National Human Relations Director
   Email Address
   smcarney215@gmail.com

   It is important for APWU members and our other coworkers who contract the Coronavirus in performance of duty to know they have coverage under the Federal Employees Compensation Act, including medical treatment and wage loss compensation. Be aware simple exposure while in performance of duty will not constitute a ‘Fact of Injury’. There must be an actual ‘diagnosis’ of COVID -19 in connection with work factors. Also important for our treating physicians who will be required to write a medical narrative in support of our OWCP claims to understand that work does not have to be the sole cause only a contributing factor. Their medical narrative must be written with ‘reasonable medical certainty’ and EXPLAIN HOW work factors caused or contributed to the onset of the condition. It will be insufficient for the attending physician to merely state ‘in their medical opinion’ work was the cause or a contributing factor – their medical rationale is required to achieve claim approval. I’ll put a more detailed how to report out that includes more specifics shortly. In the interim the DOL has posted the following:

   Information on FECA Coverage for Coronavirus Disease – 2019/COVID-19