[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16038-16039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05278]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
[OMB Control No. 1240-0046]
Proposed Revision of Information Collection; FECA Medical Report
Forms, Claim for Compensation
AGENCY: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
request for comment to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request
helps to ensure that: requested data can be provided in the desired
format; reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized;
collection instruments are clearly understood; and the impact of
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
Currently, the OWCP is soliciting comments on the information
collection for FECA Medical Report Forms, Claim for Compensation.
DATES: All comments must be received on or before May 15, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comment as follows. Please note that late,
untimely filed comments will not be considered.
Written/Paper Submissions: Submit written/paper submissions in the
following way:
Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit DOL-OWCP, Office of
Workers' Compensation, Room S3223, 200 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20210.
OWCP will post your comment as well as any attachments,
except for information submitted and marked as confidential, in the
docket at https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anjanette Suggs, Office of Workers'
Compensation Programs (OWCP), at [email protected]; (202) 354-
9660.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Office of Worker's Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the
Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), which provides for
continuation of pay or compensation for work related injuries or
disease from federal employment. 5 U.S.C. 8149, Congress gives the
Secretary of Labor authority to prescribe the rules and regulations
necessary for the administration and enforcement of the FECA.
The relevant statutory provision allowing for an individual to make
a claim for compensation benefits is found at 5 U.S.C. 8102,
Compensation for disability or death of employee, and reads as follows:
(a) The United States shall pay compensation as specified by this
subchapter for the disability or death of an employee resulting from
personal injury sustained while in the performance of his duty, unless
the injury or death is--
(1) caused by willful misconduct of the employee;
(2) caused by the employee's intention to bring about the injury or
death of himself or of another; or
(3) proximately caused by the intoxication of the injured employee.
(b) Disability or death from a war-risk hazard or during or as a
result of capture, detention, or other restraint by a hostile force or
individual, suffered by an employee who is employed outside the
continental United States or in Alaska or in the areas and
installations in the Republic of Panama made available to the United
States pursuant to the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 and related
agreements (as described in section 3(a) of the Panama Canal Act of
1979), is deemed to have resulted from personal injury sustained while
in the performance of his duty, whether or not the employee was engaged
in the course of employment when the disability or disability resulting
in death occurred or when he was taken by the hostile force or
individual. This subsection does not apply to an individual--
(1) whose residence is at or in the vicinity of the place of his
employment and who was not living there solely because of the
exigencies of his employment, unless he was injured or taken while
engaged in the course of his employment; or
(2) who is a prisoner of war or a protected individual under the
Geneva Conventions of 1949 and is detained or utilized by the United
States.
The relevant statutory provision 5 U.S.C. 8103, Medical services
and initial medical and other benefits, which reads as follows:
(a) The United States shall furnish to an employee who is injured
while in the performance of duty, the services, appliances, and
supplies prescribed or recommended by a qualified physician, which the
Secretary of Labor considers likely to cure, give relief, reduce the
degree or the period of disability, or aid in lessening the amount of
the monthly compensation. These services, appliances, and supplies
shall be furnished--
(1) whether or not disability has arisen;
(2) notwithstanding that the employee has accepted or is entitled
to receive benefits under subchapter III of chapter 83 of this title or
another retirement system for employees of the Government; and
(3) by or on the order of United States medical officers and
hospitals, or, at the employee's option, by or on the order of
physicians and hospitals designated or approved by the Secretary. The
employee may initially select a
[[Page 16039]]
physician to provide medical services, appliances, and supplies, in
accordance with such regulations and instructions as the Secretary
considers necessary, and may be furnished necessary and reasonable
transportation and expenses incident to the securing of such services,
appliances, and supplies. These expenses, when authorized or approved
by the Secretary, shall be paid from the Employees' Compensation Fund.
(b) The Secretary, under such limitations or conditions as he
considers necessary, may authorize the employing agencies to provide
for the initial furnishing of medical and other benefits under this
section. The Secretary may certify vouchers for these expenses out of
the Employees' Compensation Fund when the immediate superior of the
employee certifies that the expense was incurred in respect to an
injury which was accepted by the employing agency as probably
compensable under this subchapter. The Secretary shall prescribe the
form and content of the certificate.
References: 5 U.S.C. 8102, 5 U.S.C. 8103, and 5 U.S.C. 8149, 20 CFR
10.102, 20 CFR 10.211, 20 CFR 10.300, 20 CFR 10.314, 20 CFR 314, and 20
CFR 10.506.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
OWCP is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information
collection related to the FECA Medical Report Forms, Claim for
Compensation. OWCP is particularly interested in comments that:
Evaluate whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information has practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of OWCP's estimate of the burden
related to the information collection, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used in the estimate;
Suggest methods to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and
Minimize the burden of the information collection on those
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
Background documents related to this information collection request
are available at https://regulations.gov and at DOL-OWCP located at the
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs,
Room S3323, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Questions
about the information collection requirements may be directed to the
person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
notice.
III. Current Actions
This information collection request concerns Federal Employees'
Compensation Act Medical Reports and Compensation Claims. OWCP has
updated the data with respect to the number of respondents, responses,
burden hours, and burden costs supporting this information collection
request from the previous information collection request.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Office of Worker's Compensation Programs.
OMB Number: 1240-0046.
Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
Number of Respondents: 282,353.
Frequency: On occasion.
Number of Responses: 282,353.
Annual Burden Hours: 25,605.
Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $133,412.00.
OWCP Forms: CA-16, Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment;
CA-17, Duty Status Report; CA-20, Attending Physician's Report; OWCP-
5a, Work Capacity Evaluation, Psychiatric Conditions; OWCP-5b, Work
Capacity Evaluation, Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Conditions; OWCP-5c,
Musculoskeletal Conditions; CA-7, Claim for Compensation; Letters: CA-
1090,Claimant request for Attendant Services; CA-1305, Authorization to
doctor for eye examination with PPI rating; CA-1331, with CA-1087
enclosure, Authorization to Doctor for Audiologic and Otologic
Evaluation with OWCP Hearing Loss Requirements; CA-1332, Outline for
Otologic Testing.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized in
the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the
proposed information collection request; they will become a matter of
public record and will be available at https://www.reginfo.gov.
Anjanette Suggs,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-05278 Filed 3-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CH-P