[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]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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