Official details procedures for Workmen's Comp

Officials at Fort Belvoir's Civilian Personnel Advisory Center are concerned supervisors and their employees are not taking the correct course of action in the event of a work-related injury to an employee.
Tangela Jordan, Belvoir's injury compensation program administrator for CPAC, noted there has been some confusion recently from supervisors and their injured employees as the correct course of action in the event of an accident on the job.

"The biggest problem we have is supervisors really don't complete these forms often and they need to be submitting the forms electronically through the Electronic Data Interchange and they don't know how," Jordan said. "Other times they send the injured employee to CPAC and the worker doesn't know why he or she has been sent here."

Jordan noted that first, in the event of an accident, supervisors must ensure the employee receives immediate emergency treatment if it is needed.

"If the employee's injury results from a specific event during one day or shift, the supervisor and employee must complete a Form CA-1, Federal Employee's Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay or Compensation using the EDI," Jordan said. "If the employee develops a condition from being exposed over time, the supervisor and employee must complete a Form CA-2, Federal Employee's Notice of Occupational Disease and Claim for Compensation using EDI.

"Should an employee suffer a traumatic injury during a specific event on one day or shift, the supervisor will also need to fill out a Form CA-16, Authorization for Examination and Treatment," Jordan said. "If an employee has a traumatic injury, he or she may be entitled to a Continuation of Pay for absences due to disability.

Upon the completion of these forms electronically, they will automatically be sent to Jordan for review.

Jordan stated that it is essential for employees and supervisors, when completing either Form CA-1 or CA-2, to check and ensure all the facts are consistent and correct.

"When filling out these forms, you do not need to have witnessed the injury to agree with the stated history," Jordan said.

Jordan wants to remind everyone that DoD his obligated to support any employee under the Federal Employees Compensation Act.

"Under FECA, if the treating physician indicates that the employee is capable of performing light duty, DoD must accommodate their medical limitations," Jordan said. "By keeping a partially disabled employee in the work place, their recovery tends to speed up, which benefits the employee and reduces agency costs."

Jordan closed by saying any incidents should be promptly reported to her and she is also available to answer questions.

"I am available to provide basic training, which can help supervisors become more familiar with what to do when an employee is injured at work," Jordan said.

For more information, please call Jordan at 703-704-3023.