Federal Workers' Compensation

Can anyone let me know what salary OWCP will use to calculate my schedule award? I’ve been on comp 2 1/2 years because of multiple surgeries (every 6 months I’ve had to have an operation) related to my injury. I am electing to OPM retirement in the Spring of next year. Will they use my salary at the time of my injury or do they use the comp rate I get now (gone up with COLA). Thanks for your help! Trying to plan a future here...

FECA Procedure Manual, Part 2, Chapter 2-0900 states:

Schedule Award Cases. The pay rate used for the payment of the schedule award is the greatest of the established pay rates (DOI, DDB, or DOR). See Exhibit 1.

Exhibit 1 - DETERMINING EFFECTIVE PAY RATE DATE FOR SCHEDULE AWARDS

Traumatic Injury Claims -

With prior disability:

Pay Rate Date = DOI, DDB, or DOR (whichever is greatest)
SA Start Date = DMI (date of maximum medical improvement)
CPI Start Date = DOI, DDB, or DOR (pay rate effective date)

Without prior disability:

Pay Rate Date = DOI
SA Start Date = DMI
CPI Start Date = DMI

Occupational Disease Claims -

With prior disability, working full duty (still exposed to injurious work factors) at time of rating exam:

Pay Rate Date = DOI, DDB, or DOR (whichever is greatest)
(DOI = Date of Last Exposure (DLE) = Date of Impairment rating exam)
SA Start Date = DMI
CPI Start Date = DOI, DDB or DOR (pay rate effective date)

With prior disability, not working or working limited duty at time of rating exam:

Pay Rate Date = DOI, DDB, or DOR (whichever is greatest)
SA Start Date = DMI
CPI Start Date = DOI, DDB or DOR (pay rate effective date)

Without prior disability:

Pay Rate Date = DOI
(DOI = DLE = Last date exposed to causal employment factors in full-duty capacity or date of medical exam if still exposed)
SA Start Date = DMI
CPI Start Date = DMI