Q. I have been an 1811 status (federal agent) federal employee for 16 years. I have been on leave without pay and receiving workers’ compensation for the past year due to an on-the-job injury. I have received little if any guidance from my agency’s HR, as the representatives admit they have little or no experience with workers’ comp. What should I do to maintain the best possible benefits for me and my family if this becomes a long-term/permanent situation and I am not able to return to work? And if I can return to work, how would the time on…
Browsing: Workers’ compensation
Q. I was injured in September 2010 and was out of work until I retired on disability in March 2011. I exhausted my annual and sick leave, since my initial workers’ compensation claim was denied. After numerous appeals, my workers’ compensation claim was approved in October 2011. I began receiving interim retirement payments in September 2011 but have yet to receive payment from OPM for annual and sick leave I would have accumulated during that period. I have contacted DFAS and OPM, along with filing two congressionals regarding this issue, but no resolution. Shouldn’t I be paid for the time…
Q. I am trying to figure my calculations under FERS disability retirement and Social Security. I am receiving Medicare under Social Security Administration without monetary benefits because of workers’ compensation. Would you please calculate a high-3 of $54,000; and Social Security entitlement of $1,700 monthly on a 60% and a 40%. What would be the separate amounts received from both? Also, do I have to fill out both forms, SF 3112 and a SF 3107 for immediate retirement? I am requesting approval of disability retirement. A. I can’t do your homework for you. What I can do is give you…
Q. In February 2014, my FERS and Social Security disability retirements will convert to regular retirements. Will my Social Security retirement be reduced by any offsets? A. According to the Social Security Administration, “If you receive workers’ compensation or other public disability benefits and Social Security disability benefits, the total amount of these benefits cannot exceed 80 percent of your average current earnings before you became disabled.” You’ll have to do the math to find out if this limitation will affect you.
I am a 58-year-old Postal Service employee with 34 years of service who was sent home during the National Reassessment Process. I was thinking about retiring but choosing workers’ compensation over my civil service retirement. I would like to know if I would be eligible to receive the incentive if I did this. I would also like to know if I would be able to elect the spousal annuity if I retired OWCP. A. No, you wouldn’t. No one who has a disability such that he or she is or would be eligible for disability retirement can receive a Voluntary…
Q. I’m a postal worker under FERS. I started in 1988. I’ve been on workers’ compensation for the last four years. Now they are starting separation procedures. I guess that’s code for termination, but am I eligible for retirement disability? And if so, do I have to take the retirement disability, or can I continue to collect workers’ compensation. And if they separate me from the post office, does that mean that my workers’ compensation stops. A. You’ll have to apply for disability retirement, which your agency is required to help you do. If you are approved for it and…
Q. I have been on Department of Labor/Office of Workers’ Compensation Program for approximately 15 years due to an on-the-job injury. It does not look like I will ever return to work. What are my options? And where can I find answers about my situation? A. If you don’t recover from your disability, your OWCP payments will continue for the rest of your life. If you also applied for disability retirement when you applied for OWCP benefits, you could, of course, drop those benefits and become a disability retiree. However, before you did that, you’d want to be sure that…
Q. I am a Postal Service employee under FERS. I’m 65 years and three months old. I’ll have 26 service years by Nov. 8. I work four hours a day because of a job-related injury. The other four hours are paid by the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. Will my work status allow me to qualify for the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority this year? If so, can I apply for disability retirement instead of the regular retirement and still get the $15,000 incentive? What happens with my accumulated sick leave? Can it be credited as added service if I submit…
Q. I have had five surgeries due to work-related injuries. I have four workers’ comp case numbers. I also have a permanent disability on my shoulder and will be receiving a permanent disability on my left forearm and wrist. I recently put in for medical retirement and am awaiting a decision. My workers’ comp doctor has mentioned several times that I should be on workers’ comp after five surgeries, but I don’t know how I am supposed to apply for that, and no one seems to want to answer those questions. Does putting in for the medical disability make me…
Q. I am part of CSRS. I was hired into federal service in 1979. In 1982, I was injured on the job and on workers’ compensation for seven years. A few recent retirees have told me they were notified by the Office of Personnel Management of outstanding indebtedness going back over 25 years due to nonpayment of retirement money. When I retire, will I be required to pay OPM for those seven years of retirement money I did not pay into the system while I was on workers’ comp? Or is my retirement annuity based on what I paid into…