A report by Congressional researchers shows how hazardous work can be for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). According to the report, the rate of workers’ compensation claims for postal workers is much higher than for other federal employees.
The USPS and its employees make up the largest part of the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) program, and postal workers are injured on the job at rates disproportionate to the rest of the federal government, according to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service.
Fewer employees with higher rates of injuries and lost production time
Although postal workers make up 21.5 percent of the federal workforce, they represent 39.3 percent of injuries, illnesses and fatalities that resulted in FECA cases in fiscal year 2012, according to the report. The USPS in fiscal year 2010 was responsible for 60 percent of the total number of lost production days by the entire federal government. Not only did USPS employees file a disproportionate number of claims, the severity and duration of those injuries and illnesses were worse than for other federal employees.
Injuries and illnesses to postal workers resulted in 218.7 lost production days per 100 employees in fiscal year 2010, compared with 77.4 days for the entire federal government and 34.8 days for non-postal federal entities, according to the report. Researchers estimate that for each of the approximately 593,850 postal workers, more than two days of work were lost due to injuries, illnesses or fatalities. An estimated total of 1,298,750 production days, or 4,995 work years at the USPS were lost in fiscal year 2010 due to injuries, illnesses and fatalities.
The USPS was the only federal entity with more than 200 lost production days per 100 employees in fiscal year 2010. The report states that the only two other entities that had at least 150 lost production days were the Armed Forces Retirement Home and the International Boundary and Water Commission, small agencies with about 250 employees each.
USPS employees receive about 40 percent of all FECA benefits
It follows that benefits for postal workers make up a disproportionate share of the total costs of the FECA program. In chargeback year 2009, the FECA program paid approximately $2.7 billion in total benefits, with nearly $1.1 billion in benefits, or 40 percent of total benefits, being paid for claims by postal workers.
Though there are hazardous jobs throughout the federal government, there are few agencies in which most of the employees risk serious injury day in and day out. Given how much lifting, driving, walking outside and working with the public postal employees do, these statistics should come as no surprise.
Contact Uliase & Uliase
At Uliase & Uliase, we have extensive knowledge of the federal workers’ compensation system. To schedule an appointment, contact our office online or call us at (856) 310-9002. We will meet with you weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. We offer a free consultation for injured workers.
