Last week, there was a reminder in the news of the inherent dangers of being a TSA agent. A man recently breached a checkpoint and attempted to board an airplane at O’Hare International Airport. He was stopped by TSA agents, but not before he attacked police officers and the TSA agents trying to stop him. His motives were unclear, but this story serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of being a TSA agency. This story reminds us that every job has a unique set of challenges and relative dangers. In the case of these agents, their job placed them in the way of harm from another individual and while it may be tempting to think of their efforts to stop the man in terms of an action film, the reality is that they were performing their jobs and any wounds or injuries sustained in the attack would be require treatment. That treatment is covered by the DOL. Whether you are at a regular risk of being assaulted by nefarious individuals with questionable reasons like police officers or TSA agents or you work in a sorting facility for the USPS, risk of injury is something to be constantly aware of. Your job has risks and those risks should be understood by employees. Do your homework and educate yourself on the potential risks inherent in any job you are considering. It will help you to make an informed decision about the level of risk that you are willing [...]

If you’re a federal employee and you’ve suffered an injury on the job, there are two key components to filing your CA-2: your Employee Statement and your Medical Report. Providing proper personal accounts and a substantiating medical report can make the difference in filing a successful claim the first time and having it denied and requiring you to make changes and go through the process again. As the name states, your Medical Report is a report from your treating doctor that substantiates your claim that your injury is related to or aggravated by your duties as a federal employee. It is a good idea to visit your doctor before you begin a claim with the OWCP because it is important to make sure that your treating doctor does in fact believe that your injury is caused by or aggravated by your workload. It is also important to know that once you receive your Medical Report from your treating doctor, you have 30 days to file your OWCP claim. Without a Medical Report to substantiate the nature of your injuries it is nearly impossible to win a workers’ compensation claim. Make sure you keep copies for your records and it’s always a good idea to keep extra copies just in case something gets lost in the process or additional ones are need.

Most people are well aware of the benefits that they can expect if they are a federal worker who is injured on the job, but did you know that your benefits may extend beyond what you may have thought? Additional injuries received by injured federal workers that occur while you are being treated for work-related injuries may also be covered. Here are several examples of additional injuries that might be covered under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Injuries sustained from falling off the examination table at the doctor or rehab office. Injuries sustained from an auto accident that occurs while travelling back and forth to your medical treatments or therapeutic treatments. Injury or damage caused by medications that were prescribed to you by your treating doctor Injury sustained by other parts of the body during rehabilitative treatments If you have experienced any of the above injuries related to your federal workers compensation injury, it is important to discuss these with your doctor and the DOL. You may be entitled to benefits coverage for the secondary injuries as well. Make sure that your injuries are being properly treated and that you are receiving the necessary benefits to get you the medical care and treatment that you need and deserve.

A recent report showed that injured workers in the state of Texas have improved access to physicians who can treat them more quickly. The study compared studies performed in 2015 and 2000. They found that 84% of workers who were injured on the job received care in the first seven days after their injury, as opposed to 76% fifteen years ago. This ready access means a lot to workers and employers. The key being that this means that workers are seeing a better chance of returning to work more quickly. This also means that the effectiveness of workers’ compensation is improving for those injured on the job. Another reason for the increase in access and effectiveness was found to be an increase in the number of physicians around the state of Texas who were able to provide the necessary help for injured workers. The study noted a 26% decrease in the amount of patients each doctor treated over the fifteen-year span. This means that injured workers have more choices when it comes to treating doctors. In short, if you’ve been injured on the job and have filed a workers’ compensation claim, the available doctors are more qualified and more abundant today than they were in 2000. Click the link to read the study: Access to Medical Care in the Texas Workers’ Compensation System, 2000–2015

If you’re a federal worker and you’ve been injured on the job it is important that you follow the proper protocols to ensure that you get the compensation that you need. Here are some keys to making sure you don’t get your OWCP compensation benefits terminated. Provide a sufficient doctor report. In order to receive your compensation benefits, you will need to be examined by a doctor. Additionally, you will want to see a doctor that is familiar with DOL processes and procedures to make sure you get the proper paperwork done sufficiently. Bad paperwork can lead to denied claims. Accept suitable job placement. If your injury precludes you from performing your job, but another suitable job is available, you will need to accept this job offer. If you deny it, it is possible that your claim will be denied. However, it is important that the employee can perform the physical requirements of the position in relation to the medical evidence and fit within the employee’s skill set. Participate in vocational rehabilitation. In order to expedite your return to work and demonstrate your willingness to return to work, it is important that you take part in any available vocational rehab unless you have good cause to refrain. Maintain consistent medical records. This is another reason that it is important to have a doctor who is familiar with the process. It will ensure consistent and thorough records of your injury and health history. Cooperate with required additional examinations. If [...]

The risk of injuries faced by airport screeners is varied. Airport screeners around the country have reported back strains, lacerations, bruises, abrasions and even broken bones. As a result, proper training and techniques are key. It’s important that screeners utilize proper lifting technique and ergonomics. However, constrained work environments often make this difficult. The TSA has publicly acknowledged the problem of these working conditions and is investing hundreds of millions in improvements. A major source of the problem is changes in security regulations and increased hiring of new personnel that has short-circuited proper training processes. “When you’re not trained properly in how to lift bags, you’re going to hurt something,” said Lyons, whose union represents TSA employees. The TSA says that it plans to train screeners on safe lifting techniques and to develop more specific standard operating procedures to avoid injury. In 2012, OSHA reported that the injury and illness rate for TSA workers was 19.4 percent that year. The average for federal workers was 5.5 percent. These rate numbers represent how many times the government reimburses employees for on- the-job injuries or illnesses, divided by the total work force. The TSA employed about 65,000 people last year, with the vast majority working as screeners. Sadly, TSA screeners often complain they get the runaround when they file for worker’s compensation. This simply underscores the necessity of understanding your rights and responsibilities as an injured federal worker. Additionally, good union support, a doctor experienced in DOL paperwork and potentially [...]