Compensation for Federal Employee Injuries

It's Time To Rethink the Rules Gao ID: HRD-79-78 August 22, 1979

Over the years, the Department of Labor's decisions have provided an expansive interpretation of what constitutes a compensable injury under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act. When an employee of the Federal Government is injured or killed on the job, the worker or survivors are entitled to benefits. The criteria for determining compensable injuries are not always clear. Uncertainties are developing over how far the Government's liability should extend.

Increased costs are caused by increased employee salaries, increasing costs of medical care, and inflation. Another basic cause is the expanding concept of a compensable injury. Broad definitions, inadequate guidelines on the work relatedness of diseases, and uncertainty about the causes of many diseases have expanded program coverage.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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