Frequently Asked Questions

If you are an injured federal worker receiving OWCP benefits you need to understand that you are afforded the right to receive cost of living adjustments. These adjustments are based on changes to the Consumer Price Index for Wage Earners and Clerical Workers which is a program that produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by consumers for a representative basket of goods and services. In short, this means that if the things that you need to buy are increasing in cost, then you are eligible for an [...]

Federal employees have a robust compensation package available to them if they are injured on the job. Compensation does not simply consist of financial compensation, but also includes programs to aid injured federal workers in returning to work. According to dol.gov, “The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) gives injured workers the right to reclaim their Federal jobs within one year of the onset of wage loss” and the DOL does a bit to help federal workers in this pursuit. That assistance can be seen in three available services: The DOL [...]

If you are in Indiana and you find yourself working in an unsafe environment, figuring out what to do can be confusing. Fear of retribution or job loss has silenced many workers that found themselves in unsafe or downright dangerous conditions, but there’s good news. The Department of Labor provides protection for whistleblowers in the event that there is indeed any sort of retributive behavior on the part of an employer. "As an employee, you have a responsibility to help maintain the safest possible working environment for yourself and your [...]

As the holidays approach, nationwide travel increases and that means that the roads become more dangerous places than they normally are. AAA projects that nearly 44 million Americans will travel 50+ miles via automobile during the Thanksgiving weekend. That much traffic can certainly increase the risks on the road. There are few things you can do to make your tip safer: 1) Use alternative routes - If possible, avoiding the highway can reduce your risk of a devastating auto accident. The highways are the preferred routes for most drivers, but if you can [...]

Carol Lisa-Gutman defrauded the OWCP out of nearly $430,000 from 1987-2016. For thirty years, Lisa-Gutman received disability payments for an alleged back injury that she claimed resulted from the difficult and repetitive tasks performed by U.S. Postal workers. However, an investigation revealed that she was more than capable of performing difficult yard work and bending over repeatedly without issue. You can read the story and watch the video here. She faces up to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple counts and types of fraud. She is [...]

If you’ve suffered an injury on the job, it is possible that the injuries are severe enough that you may not fully recover to the capacity that you were at prior to the injury even after you have recovered and are stabilized. This is referred to as Maximum Medical Improvement. It means that the likelihood of any further improvement in function is unlikely and that you have reached the point of your full recovery. You may continue to receive additional medical treatment, therapy, or rehabilitation, but your recovery is most [...]