Today, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, chaired by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), held a hearing entitled, “Reforming the Workers’ Compensation Program for Federal Employees.”
The press release about the Hearing states:
Enacted in 1916, the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) provides workers’ compensation benefits to federal employees who become injured or ill through work-related activity. The program covers approximately three million civilian federal workers and paid out nearly $3 billion in benefits in 2014. The law has not been meaningfully updated since 1974, and there are concerns that current, outdated benefit policies may be too generous and discourage employees’ return to work. The Department of Labor, in its Fiscal Year 2016 budget request, has proposed a series of reforms intended to improve the program. [The hearing] will provide committee members with an opportunity to further evaluate the administration’s proposed reforms, as well as other possible legislative changes to reform the law.
Witnesses (listed below, with links to their testimony) generally agreed on the need to reform the FECA program, which has not been “meaningfully updated” in 40 years. They discussed a specific proposal included in the Obama administration’s fiscal year 2016 budget blueprint for the Department of Labor that are intended to improve return-to-work procedures, streamline claims processing, and update benefits levels.
Mr. Leonard Howie – Director of Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, Department of Labor (Washington, D.C.)
Mr. Ron Watson – Director of Retired Members, National Association of Letter Carriers (Washington, D.C.)
Dr. Andrew Sherrill – Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security, Government Accountability Office (Washington, D.C.)
The Honorable Scott Dahl – Inspector General, Department of Labor (Washington, D.C.)
Click here to view the archived webcast of the Hearing.
Click here to read the media summary of the Hearing
Click here for Chairman Walberg’s Opening Statement.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching
June 26
A district judge issues a preliminary injunction blocking agencies from implementing Trump’s executive order eliminating collective bargaining for federal workers; workers organize for the reinstatement of two doctors who were put on administrative leave after union activity; and Lamont vetoes unemployment benefits for striking workers.
June 25
Some circuits show less deference to NLRB; 3d Cir. affirms return to broader concerted activity definition; changes to federal workforce excluded from One Big Beautiful Bill.
June 24
In today’s news and commentary, the DOL proposes new wage and hour rules, Ford warns of EV battery manufacturing trouble, and California reaches an agreement to delay an in-person work mandate for state employees. The Trump Administration’s Department of Labor has advanced a series of proposals to update federal wage and hour rules. First, the […]