(a) To claim benefits under the FECA, an employee who sustains a
work-related traumatic injury must give notice of the injury in writing
on Form CA-1, which may be obtained from the employer or from the
Internet at www.dol.gov./esa/owcp.htm. The employee must forward
this notice to the employer. Another person, including the employer, may
give notice of injury on the employee's behalf. The person submitting a
notice shall include the Social Security Number (SSN) of the injured
employee.
(b) For injuries sustained on or after September 7, 1974, a notice
of injury must be filed within three years of the injury. (The form
contains the necessary words of claim.) The requirements for filing
notice are further described in 5 U.S.C. 8119. Also see Sec. 10.205
concerning time requirements for filing claims for continuation of pay.
(1) If the claim is not filed within three years, compensation may
still be allowed if notice of injury was given within 30 days or the
employer had actual knowledge of the injury or death within 30 days
after occurrence. This knowledge may consist of written records or
verbal notification. An entry into an employee's medical record may also
satisfy this requirement if it is sufficient to place the employer on
notice of a possible work-related injury or disease.
(2) OWCP may excuse failure to comply with the three-year time
requirement because of truly exceptional circumstances (for example,
being held prisoner of war).
(3) The claimant may withdraw his or her claim (but not the notice
of injury) by so requesting in writing to OWCP at any time before OWCP
determines eligibility for benefits. Any continuation of pay (COP)
granted to an employee after a claim is withdrawn must be charged to
sick or annual leave, or considered an overpayment of pay consistent
with 5 U.S.C. 5584, at the employee's option.
(c) However, in cases of latent disability, the time for filing
claim does not begin to run until the employee has a compensable
disability and is aware, or reasonably should have been aware, of the
causal relationship between the disability and the employment (see 5
U.S.C. 8122(b)).
