A new chapter for fairness: Modernizing schedule award procedures

As the director of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), I am proud to announce a transformative new policy and set of procedures for administering schedule awards under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). These updates, published on January 7, 2025, and outlined in FECA Bulletin 25-3, are designed to simplify the claims process, reduce costs and increase fairness for disabled federal workers. This marks a significant step toward better serving the dedicated federal employees who sustain disabling injuries in the performance of duty.

Schedule awards are monetary payments made to compensate disabled federal employees for the loss or loss of use of a part of their body due to a work-related injury or illness. These awards are made on percentages assigned by a physician on a schedule within the FECA statute. While these payments play a critical role in helping disabled workers, the previous processes for obtaining a schedule award had become inconvenient, expensive and frustrating for both workers and the government.

Under the prior procedures, claimants often faced multiple medical evaluations, complicated calculations of permanent impairment and limited access to physicians familiar with OWCP’s mandated use of the Sixth Edition of the American Medical Association (AMA) Guides to Permanent Impairment. This not only increased costs for taxpayers but also led to inequities in access and outcomes for injured workers across the country.

Key Changes in the New Policy

To address these challenges, we’re implementing several critical reforms to streamline the schedule award process and promote equity:

• Simplified medical evaluation options: Claimants can now submit an impairment rating from their own physician under either the Fifth or Sixth Edition of the American Medical Association (AMA) Guides. Alternatively, they may request OWCP to arrange a rating examination on their behalf.
• Enhanced access to physicians: By allowing the use of the Fifth Edition of the AMA Guides, OWCP is eliminating a barrier that had limited claimants’ access to qualified physicians. Many states continue to use the Fifth Edition, making it easier for federal workers to find local providers familiar with the guidelines.
• Addressing equity concerns: A national study found that transitioning from the Fifth to the Sixth Edition of the AMA Guides led to lower impairment ratings on average, potentially costing injured federal workers nearly $900 million in benefits since 2009. By reinstating the Fifth Edition, OWCP is correcting this inequity and ensuring fair compensation for workers.
• New CA-9 form: A newly designed form simplifies paperwork for claimants and adds clarity to the process, making it more accessible and user-friendly for disabled workers.
• Fairness in dispute resolution: If the government physician’s impairment rating is higher than the worker’s physician’s, the higher rating will be paid. If the worker’s physician provides a higher rating, but the difference is higher by three or fewer percentage points, the worker’s rating will be paid. For discrepancies greater than three percent, a neutral referee physician will conduct a file review to resolve the conflict.
• Claims for increased impairment: Workers with prior schedule awards under the Sixth Edition may now benefit from the Fifth Edition if they can demonstrate a material worsening of their condition supported by objective medical evidence.

A New Era of Transparency and Equity

This policy overhaul represents a milestone in good governance, a foundation for the work I have accomplished in the past four years at OWCP. By cutting through red tape, reducing costs and addressing longstanding inequities, OWCP is making it easier for disabled federal workers to access the benefits they deserve. The changes bring much-needed transparency to the schedule award process and reflect OWCP’s commitment to improving the lives of injured workers and their families.

These new procedures exemplify how we fulfill that mission. With these updates, we not only advance fairness and equity but also ensure the principles of good governance and accountability that federal workers and taxpayers deserve.

We are proud to introduce these changes and look forward to continuing OWCP’s work to support injured federal workers. Together, we are building a stronger, more equitable system for all – a true model workers’ compensation system.

 Christopher J. Godfrey is the director of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs.