When a notice of traumatic injury or occupational disease is filed, the immediate supervisor is responsible for doing the following:
- Immediately ensuring that appropriate medical care is provided.
- Providing the employee a Form CA–1 or a Form CA–2.
- Completing the receipt attached to Form CA–1 or CA–2 and giving the receipt to the employee or the employee’s representative.
- Investigating all reported job–related injuries and/or illnesses.
- Immediately notifying the control office or control point of an injury, disease, or illness.
- Prompt completion and forwarding of Form CA–1 or CA–2 to the control office or control point on the same day it is received from the employee.
In case of a traumatic injury, the supervisor must advise the employee of the following:
- The right to select a physician of choice.
- If the injury is disabling, the right to either of the following:
- To elect COP for up to 45 calendar days.
- To use annual or sick leave. An employee may subsequently request COP (subject to leave carryover provisions) in lieu of previously requested sick and/or annual leave, but such a request must be made within 1 year of the date the leave was used, or within 1 year of the date of OWCP’s approval of the claim, whichever is later.
The control office or control point is responsible for completing Forms CA–16 and CA–17 (see 545.21 and 545.53). Control office and control point supervisors are responsible for reviewing all claims for accuracy and completeness and for forwarding claims and related documents to OWCP within prescribed FECA time frames. Control points at major postal installations may be given authority by the control office to manage and submit claims directly to OWCP. The control office or control point must advise the employee whether COP will be controverted and whether pay will be interrupted. The control office must provide the employee a copy of the completed CA–1 or CA–2 and all correspondence between the Postal Service and the treating physician.
Completed forms are sent to OWCP when the injury or disease is likely to result in any of the following:
- A medical charge against OWCP.
- Disability for work or assignment to limited duty beyond the day or shift the injury occurs.
- The need for more than two appointments for medical examination and/or treatment on separate days resulting in time lost from work.
- Future disability.
- Permanent impairment.
- Continuation of pay.
Exception: If none of the above conditions is evident, Form CA–1 or Form CA–2 must be filed in the employee’s medical folder instead of being sent to OWCP.
The control office or control point submits to the appropriate OWCP district office within 10 working days after it is received from the employee:
- Completed Form CA–1 or Form CA–2.
- Any other information or documents that have some bearing on the claim.
A recurrence should be reported on Form CA–2a if it causes the employee to lose time from work and incur a wage loss, or if the employee experiences a renewed need for treatment after previously being released from care.
The notice of recurrence should be submitted promptly to OWCP.
The notice of death is given on Form CA–6.
The control office must furnish Form CA–5 and/or Form CA–5b to all survivors who may have entitlement to compensation for death of an employee.
The control office immediately reports the death to OWCP by telephone call, telegram, facsimile (fax), or electronic mail. As soon as possible, but no later than 10 working days after receipt of knowledge of death, the reporting official completes and sends to OWCP a Form CA–6. Form CA–5 and Form CA–5b must be promptly forwarded to OWCP upon receipt.
A copy of any forms and correspondence related to claims that are submitted by PCES executives must be sent to the manager of Corporate Personnel Management at Headquarters.
