2015 FECA Bulletins which have previously been issued by the DFEC but have since expired or been superseded by another Bulletin, Circular or inclusion in the FECA Procedure Manual.
|
Bulletin |
Subject |
|---|---|
|
FECA Bulletin No. 15-01 |
This was a War Hazards Compensation Act Bulletin. |
|
Compensation Pay: Compensation Rate Changes Effective January 2015. |
|
|
Compensation Pay - Consumer Price Index (CPI) Cost-of-Living Adjustments. |
Attention: This bulletin has been superseded and is inactive.
FECA BULLETIN NO. 15-02
Issue Date: February 27, 2015
Expiration Date: January 1, 2016
Subject: Compensation Pay: Compensation Rate Changes Effective January 2015.
Background: On December 19, 2014, the President signed Executive Order 13686 implementing a salary increase of 1.0 percent in the General Schedule basic pay. The applicability under 5 U.S.C. 8112 only includes the 1.0 percent increase in the basic General Schedule. Any additional increase for locality-based pay is excluded. The adjustment became effective at the start of the first full pay period after January 1, 2015.
Purpose: To inform the appropriate personnel of the increased minimum/maximum rates of compensation and the adjustment procedures for affected cases on the periodic disability and death payrolls.
The new rates were effective with the first compensation payroll period beginning on or after January 1, 2015. Thus, for daily roll supplemental payments January 11, 2015 is the specific effective date of the increase. The effective date for the increase of periodic and death roll payments will also be January 11, 2014. The new maximum compensation rate payable is based on the scheduled salary of a GS-15, Step 10, which is now $132,122 per annum. The basis for the minimum compensation rate is the salary of a GS-2, Step 1 which is now $20,419 per annum.
The minimum increase specified in this Bulletin is applicable to employees of the U.S. Postal Service.
The effect on 5 U.S.C. 8112 is to increase the payment of compensation for disability claims to:
|
Effective January 11, 2015 |
Minimum |
Maximum |
|---|---|---|
|
Weekly |
$294.50 |
$1,905.61 |
|
Effective January 11, 2015 |
Minimum |
Maximum |
|---|---|---|
|
28-Day Cycle |
$1,178.00 |
$7,622.44 |
The effect on 5 U.S.C. 8133(e) is to increase the monthly pay on which the compensation for death is computed to:
|
Effective January 11, 2015 |
Minimum |
Maximum |
|---|---|---|
|
Monthly |
$1,701.58 |
$8,257.63 |
Applicability: Appropriate National and District Office personnel
Reference: Memorandum for Executive Heads of Departments and Agencies dated December 19, 2014; and the attachment for the 2015 General Schedule.
Action: The Integrated Federal Employees' Compensation System (iFECS) will update the periodic disability and death payrolls. It should be noted that this adjustment process re-calculates EVERY compensation record from its very beginning to current date. Thus, it may be that minor changes in the gross compensation are noted; this is not necessarily incorrect.
Any cases keyed as "Gross Overrides without CPI" in iFECS will not have a supplemental record or make a separate calculation of additional entitlement. Thus, these gross override cases must be reviewed to determine if adjustments are necessary. If an adjustment is necessary, a manual calculation will be required and the case record documented. A notice should be sent to the payee by the District Office, detailing the change in the rate of compensation. All cases keyed as "Gross Overrides with CPI" will be adjusted in the usual manner.
1. Adjustments Dates.
a. As the effective date of the adjustment was January 11, 2015 for the periodic disability and death rolls, there was no supplemental payroll needed. The February 7, 2015 death and disability payments will include any necessary minimum or maximum compensation adjustments.
b. The new minimum/maximum compensation rates were available in iFECS after January 28, 2015.
2. Adjustment of Daily Roll Payments. The salary adjustments are not retroactive, so it is assumed that all Federal agencies have ample time to receive and report the new pay rates on claims for compensation filed on or after January 1, 2015. Therefore, it is not necessary to review any of these payments.
However, if an inquiry is received then verification of the pay rate must be secured from the employing agency, and the necessary adjustment applied.
Disposition: This bulletin is to be retained in Part 5, Benefit Payments, Federal (FECA) Procedure Manual, until the indicated expiration date.
DOUGLAS C. FITZGERALD
Director for
Federal Employees' Compensation
Distribution: List No. 2 – Folioviews Groups A, B and D (Claims Examiners, All Supervisors, District Medical Advisors, Fiscal Personnel, Systems Managers, Technical Assistants, Rehabilitation Specialists and Staff Nurses)
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Attention: This bulletin has been superseded and is inactive.
FECA BULLETIN NO. 15-03
Issue Date: April 9, 2015
Expiration Date: February 29, 2016
Subject: Compensation Pay - Consumer Price Index (CPI) Cost-of-Living Adjustments.
Purpose: To furnish information on the CPI adjustment process for March 1, 2015.
The cost of living adjustments granted to a compensation recipient under the FECA are based on the "Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers" (CPI-W) figures published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The annual cost of living increase is calculated by comparing the base month from the prior year to the base month of the current year, with the percentage of increase adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of 1 percent. 5 U.S.C. §8146(a) establishes the base month for the FECA CPI as December.
December 2013 had a CPI-W level of 229.174 and the December 2014 level was reported by BLS as 229.909. This means that the new CPI increase, adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of one percent, is 0.3 percent. The increase is effective March 1, 2015, and is applicable where disability or death occurred before March 1, 2014. In addition, the new base month for calculating the future CPI is December 2014.
The maximum compensation rates1, which must not be exceeded, are as follows:
|
Rate |
Time |
|---|---|
|
$8,257.63 |
per month |
|
7,622.44 |
each four weeks |
|
1,905.61 |
per week |
|
381.12 |
per day (for a 5 day week) |
Applicability: Appropriate National Office and District Office personnel.
Reference: FECA Consumer Price Index (CPI) Amendment, dated January 6, 1981; Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index Publication for December 2014 (USDL-15-0018)
Action: National Office Production staff will update the iFECS CPI tables and have all payment records re-calculated when the iFECS system is not in use by District Office personnel. This occurred on February 25, 2015. The March 7, 2015 check will be paid at the 2014 rate but will include the supplemental CPI payment for the period of March 1st to March 7th. The following periodic roll check will reflect the updated 2015 28-day amount. Please note that if there are any cases with fixed gross overrides, there will be no supplemental record created. These cases must be reviewed to determine if CPI adjustments are necessary, and if so a manual calculation will be required. If the gross override payment is in fact eligible for annual CPI increases, the payment plate should be adjusted in the iFECS system to pay as a "Gross Override with CPI."
1. CPI Minimum and Maximum Adjustments Listings. Form CA-841, Cost-of-Living Adjustments; Form CA-842, Minimum Compensation Rates; and Form CA-843, Maximum Compensation Rates, should be updated to indicate the increase for 2015. Attached to this directive is a complete list of all the CPI increases and effective dates since October 1, 1966 through March 1, 2015, for reference.
2. Verification of Compensation. If claimants write or call for verification of the amount of compensation paid (possibly for mortgage verification; insurance verification; loan application; etc.), please continue to provide this data in letter form from the district office. Many times a Benefit Statement may not reach the addressee and regeneration of the form is not possible. A letter indicating the amount of compensation paid every four weeks will be an adequate substitute for this purpose.
Disposition: This Bulletin is to be retained in Part 5, Benefit Payments, Federal (FECA) Procedure Manual, until further notice or the indicated expiration date.
1Per Executive Order 13686 signed by President Obama on December 19, 2014.
DOUGLAS C. FITZGERALD
Director for
Federal Employees' Compensation
Attachment
Distribution: List No. 2 --Folioviews Groups A, B and D (Claims Examiners, All Supervisors, District Medical Advisors, Fiscal Personnel, Systems Managers, Technical Assistants, and Rehabilitation Specialists)
|
EFFECTIVE DATE |
RATE |
EFFECTIVE DATE |
RATE |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10/01/66 06/01/70 04/01/80 |
12.5% 4.4% 7.2% |
03/01/90 03/01/00 03/01/10 |
4.5% 2.8% 3.4% |
Prior to September 7, 1974, the new compensation after adding the CPI is rounded to the nearest $1.00 on a monthly basis or the nearest multiple of $.23 on a weekly basis ($.23, $.46, $.69, or $.92). After September 7, 1974, the new compensation after adding the CPI is rounded to the nearest $1.00 on a monthly basis or the nearest $.25 on a weekly basis ($.25, $.50, $.75, or $1.00).
|
Date |
Compensation |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Prior to 09/07/74 |
.08-.34 = .23 |
Eff. 11/01/74 |
.13-.37 = .25 |
ATTACHMENT TO FECA BULLETIN NO. 15-03
Back to Top of FECA Bulletin No. 15-03