FedUp: Mental Illness & Disorders, OWCP Stress Claims, & Other Resources

Episode 21 is here! In this episode we talk about mental illness and mental disorders stemming from having to work in a toxic and hostile work environment. We also address how we can file an OWCP stress claim regarding our mental illness and/or disorders, what’s needed to do that, and other useful resources to combat…

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USPS OIG Report: Workers’ Compensation Program Update

Background Postal Service employees who sustain a work-related injury or occupational disease are covered by the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). These benefits include wage-loss compensation, medical and rehabilitation services, and death benefit payments to surviving dependents. The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Workers’ Compensation Program has the exclusive authority to administer, implement, and…

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Congresswoman Pressley and Colleagues Urge Extension of COVID-19 Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Postal Workers

Provision enabling clear access to workers’ compensation due to COVID set to expire on January 27, 2023 December 16, 2022 BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), in partnership with Representatives Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), led their colleagues in calling for the extension of an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provision…

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Postal Bulletin: Avoid Slips, Trips, and Falls

Hazards such as uneven surfaces or distracted walking can pose a serious threat to Postal Service™ employees. Last year, the United States Postal Service reported over 16,000 Postal Service employees were victims of a slip, trip, or fall. Most slip, trip, and fall incidents involve mail carriers. They tripped stepping onto a curb or uneven…

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OWCP representation for NALC members

March 2022 “One of the benefits of NALC membership is access to a highly experienced specialist who can advise injured workers on their claims at no expense to the member. While injured workers are not required to have a representative to file or process their claim, they do have the option to request a representative…

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APWU: COLA Updates for FERS, CSRS, SS and FECA

FERS COLA After the second quarter of 2021, the third quarter for the 2022 COLA adjustment period, the quarterly average has increased by 4.1%. The 2022 FERS retiree COLA is based on the third quarter (July, August, September) average CPI-W index (1982-84=100) in 2021 over the 2020 third quarter average. However, if the CPI-W quarterly…

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USPS OIG Report: Workers’ Compensation Program Cost Containment Activities

Objective The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) program provides coverage for and assistance to about 2.6 million federal civilian and Postal Service employees who have sustained work-related injuries or disease by providing appropriate monetary and medical benefits and assistance in returning to work. The modern FECA program was created in 1916 with the overall intention…

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USPS OIG Management Advisory – Workers’ Compensation Compound Drug Costs

Background Enacted in 1916, the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) provides medical, compensation, death, and vocational rehabilitation benefits to civilian federal employees who sustain injuries or disease. In fiscal years (FYs) 2014 and 2015, FECA provided over $1 billion in annual workers’ compensation benefits to U.S. Postal Service workers. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)…

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