Federal employees work comp benefits are guided by the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA).
Federal employees have different rules and regulations regarding workmens comp benefits and eligibility than those in other fields. Because public employees are mandated by federal laws, they can either be subject to state-regulated workers’ compensation insurance or private insurance. In some instances, like when they work for the railroad or in oil or gas fields, they have a whole other system of workers compensation rules.
Employees of the Federal Government
When you work for the federal government, your workers’ compensation benefits are guided by the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA). Workers compensation benefits are provided when a federal employee is either killed or injured while working. The stipulation is that they have to be injured while performing specific acts under the authority of their employment status.
Federal benefits are provided for any federal employee, regardless of what position they hold or the length of time that they have been employed. Workers’ compensation covers both medical bills and lost wages. There is also the potential for federal employees to have vocational rehabilitation or to be offered partially-disabled employee benefits until they can return to full capacity. Federal benefits are paid out by the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs and from the Employees’ Compensation Fund.
Special Occupations
There are other types of federal workers’ compensation benefits that cover injuries sustained by those who work in the railroad industry or the interstate transportation system. If an employee works as a seaman, they are covered by the “Jones Act,” which offers compensation benefits through the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. Other workers’ compensation packages include the Death on the High Seas Act, the Defense Base Act, and the Continental Shelf Lands Act.
State or Local Employees
If you are employed by either a local or state government in Missouri, you are covered by the specific laws of the state workers’ compensation statutes under state law. Because it is mandated that the rules relating to workmens compensation be posted for employees to view, all you need to know about workers’ compensation benefits should be available for you to read.
If you don’t understand how workers’ compensation benefits work, then there are usually human resources professionals who can help you to make a claim and assist you to file for workers’ compensation if you are injured while working.
Benefits for Injured Workers in Missouri
If you are hurt while working under the scope of your work duties and work for the government, what you are entitled to is guided by federal laws or the state laws for which you were injured. As those laws are not always easy to decipher, it is a good idea to hire a St. Louis workers’ compensation lawyer to help you file a claim and ensure that you receive all that you are entitled to. Before you accept any settlement for a workers’ compensation claim in Missouri, whether you work for the government or a private company, it is best to have the expertise of a lawyer so that you know that you are getting all the benefits available.