Continuation of Pay – The 45 days explained

Continuation of pay (COP) is provided by the employer to federal employees who have sustained an injury through a traumatic (one time or one shift) event while on the job. Continuation of pay runs for 45 days. Questions arise as to when that 45 day period starts. Also how is it calculated if the individual returns to work before 45 day period ends but then he or she must go back out because the injury would not allow continued activity at work. The rule is that COP begins the day after the injury if the employee is disabled from work on the date of the accident. If the employee is not immediately disabled from work on the date of the accident he or she must begin using COP within 45 days from his or her return to work. If the employee returns to work before utilizing the balance of the 45 days of COP, he or she has 45 days from the date of the return to work to use the remainder of time available. If, for instance, the employee returns to work after using 30 days of COP, that employee has 45 days (from the date that the employee returned to work ) within which to utilize the remaining 15 days of COP.

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To contact Steve Barszcz Esq. with additional questions or to get help in your case, please call him TOLL FREE @ 877-655-2667 or write him at Steve@theOWCPattorney.com

© Stephen V. Barszcz, P.A. 2012