New COVID guidelines will be in place effective January 27th, 2023. Primarily the presumption of workplace contagion is expiring as specified in the American Rescue Plan Act. With that in mind agents have two options for filing for benefits with DOL which are as follows
Filing a CA-1 will once again require the employee to substantiate the exposure took place in the workplace and identify a time and place of occurrence. This would be a specific event or incident, or series of events or incidents, during a single day or work shift. (ref 20CFR 10.5ee) COP would apply, however if the claim is denied by DOL another form of leave would be substituted for any time off taken. (AL, SL, LWOP, ADMIN, etc…)
Filing a CA-2 after seeing a doctor at your own expense and having the doctor write an explanation that the employee’s COVID diagnosis is due to an on-duty exposure. **CA-2 does not qualify for COP and employee’s must utilize their own sick leave.
Contact your union representative or learn more about it at the following link:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/regs/compliance/DFECfolio/FECABulletins/FY2020-2024#FECAB2302