
Mileage Reimbursement from DOL-OWCP Program
Under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), federal employees who are injured on the job or suffer from a work-related illness may be eligible for compensation for various expenses, including medical treatment and travel costs associated with their treatment. If a federal employee needs to travel to receive medical treatment for their work-related injury or illness, they may be able to receive reimbursement for mileage from the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP).
To be eligible for mileage reimbursement, the travel must be related to medical treatment for the work-related injury or illness. The OWCP will generally only reimburse for the distance traveled between the employee’s residence or work location and the medical provider’s office or facility where the treatment is being received. If the medical provider is located outside the employee’s local area, the OWCP may also reimburse for lodging and meals, but these expenses must be reasonable and necessary.
To request mileage reimbursement, the injured federal employee must complete a Form OWCP-957, which is available on the OWCP website or from their employing agency’s workers’ compensation coordinator. The form requires the employee to provide information about their injury or illness, the medical provider they are seeing, and the dates and locations of the appointments. The employee must also provide documentation of the mileage traveled, such as a map or odometer reading, and any receipts for lodging or meals if applicable.
Once the OWCP receives the completed OWCP-957 form and all necessary documentation, they will review the request and determine if the mileage is reimbursable under FECA. If approved, the OWCP will reimburse the employee at the current federal mileage rate, which is currently 58 cents per mile. Reimbursements are typically made by check and can take several weeks to process.
It is important for injured federal employees to keep accurate records of their medical appointments and travel expenses related to their work-related injury or illness. This includes keeping receipts for lodging and meals, as well as documenting the dates, times, and locations of all medical appointments. In some cases, the OWCP may require additional information or documentation to support a request for mileage reimbursement, so it is important to keep all records organized and easily accessible.
In addition to mileage reimbursement, injured federal employees may be eligible for other types of compensation under FECA, including wage replacement for time missed from work due to the injury or illness, payment for medical treatment and supplies, and vocational rehabilitation services to help them return to work. It is important for injured federal employees to work closely with their employing agency’s workers’ compensation coordinator and medical providers to ensure that they are receiving all of the benefits they are entitled to under the law.