There is a proposal to reduce the benefits federal employees receive if they are injured on the job. The provision introduced by Sen. Tom Carper and Sen. Tom Coburn would cut benefits for federal employees once they reach the retirement age.
Under the current plan, employees who are injured in a work-related accident would receive 66.33 percent of their salary tax-free, a number that was calculated to resemble the employees’ post-tax salary. It increases to 75 percent if the employee has dependents.
The new proposal would cut the benefit to 50 percent of an employee’s salary, once an employee is eligible for retirement. Additional compensation for dependents would no longer be provided.
Carper tried to push legislation on federal workers’ compensation on last year’s postal reform bill. That bill passed the Senate, but died in the House of Representatives. Some Democrats and federal employee unions opposed the measure citing that the language in the bill reduced the benefits some federal employees would receive. The language of the bill, according to Julie Tagen, does not only apply to future workers’ compensation claims, but meant a cut in benefits for those on workers’ compensation at the time.
Tagen did not give any indication he opposed the measure, but was concerned about the current disabled employees who had no other form of income saying, “At least if you knew about it, you could adjust your lifestyle.”
There is more information on workers comp on our site. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, you may be entitled to benefits. Call our offices today at (614) 221-7548 for a free consultation.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus Workers Comp Attorneys
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