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OWCP Forms Guide for Injured Federal Employees
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If you are a federal employee hurt on the job, your claim runs through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). FECA covers civilian federal employees, such as postal workers, VA and Defense Department civilians, TSA and FAA staff. It does not cover active-duty military service members.
Each form has a job: some you file, some your agency issues, and some your doctor completes. This guide explains the common ones in plain language, what each is for, and where East Coast Injury Clinic fits in. For how we treat federal employees, see our page on federal workers’ comp care in Jacksonville. It is not legal advice. For disputes, denials or appeals, talk to an attorney or a representative of your choice.
Not a federal employee? A private or state job injury usually falls under Florida workers’ compensation instead.
OWCP forms at a glance
| Form | Name | Who completes it | When it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA-1 | Federal Employee’s Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation | You, then your supervisor | Injury from a single event or incident during one work shift |
| CA-2 | Notice of Occupational Disease and Claim for Compensation | You, then your supervisor | A condition caused by work factors over more than one work shift |
| CA-2a | Notice of Recurrence | You, then your agency | An accepted condition worsens again without a new injury |
| CA-16 | Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment | Your employing agency (page 1); your doctor completes the medical part | Authorizes a first exam and treatment after a traumatic injury |
| CA-17 | Duty Status Report | Your doctor (medical findings and restrictions) | Reports what you can and cannot do at work |
| CA-20 | Attending Physician’s Report | Your doctor | The doctor’s report on diagnosis, treatment and whether the condition is work-related |
| CA-7 | Claim for Compensation | You, then your agency | Claims wage-loss compensation and certain other benefits |
| OWCP-5c | Work Capacity Evaluation, Musculoskeletal Conditions | Your doctor, when OWCP requests it | Describes your physical work capacity and limits |
| LS-1 | Request for Examination and/or Treatment (Longshore) | The employer or insurance carrier | Longshore and Defense Base Act injuries only, not FECA |
Get current forms from dol.gov, or file through ECOMP, the Labor Department’s online portal.
The forms you file
CA-1: traumatic injury
Use the CA-1 when you were hurt by a specific event or incident during a single work shift, such as a fall, a lifting injury or a vehicle crash while on duty. The CA-1 also starts your claim for continuation of pay (COP). To be eligible for COP, you must file the CA-1 within 30 days of the injury (20 CFR 10.205). Claims in general must be filed within three years of the injury.
CA-2: occupational disease
Use the CA-2 when a condition developed from work factors over more than one shift, such as repetitive motion, prolonged lifting or long-term exposure. Continuation of pay does not apply to occupational disease claims, because COP is limited to traumatic injuries. For a condition that develops slowly, the three-year clock generally runs from when you became aware the condition was related to your work. Not sure which form fits? See CA-1 vs CA-2: which federal injury form to file.
CA-2a: recurrence
Use the CA-2a if an accepted condition flares up again after you returned to work or recovered, and there was no new injury. A new injury generally calls for a new CA-1 or CA-2 instead.
CA-7: claim for compensation
The CA-7 claims wage-loss compensation, for example when you are still disabled after your 45 days of COP end, or when COP doesn’t apply. If you expect to stay off work, file it before COP runs out. Your agency adds its part and submits it to OWCP.
The forms your agency issues
CA-16: authorization for examination and treatment
For a traumatic injury, your agency can authorize a first exam and treatment by issuing a CA-16. Under 20 CFR 10.300:
- The agency should issue it within 4 hours of the claimed injury, or within 48 hours if it first authorized treatment verbally.
- It generally isn’t required for an injury reported more than a week after it happened.
- It authorizes treatment for up to 60 days.
- It must name the physician or facility.
- The agency must advise you of your right to choose a qualified physician.
Ask your supervisor for a CA-16 when you report the injury, and bring it to your first visit. No CA-16? Call us anyway.
The forms your doctor completes
CA-17: duty status report
The CA-17 tells your agency what you can safely do at work: full duty, light duty with specific restrictions, or no work for now. Expect it to be updated as your condition changes. Our return-to-work care page explains how restrictions are set and updated.
CA-20: attending physician’s report
The CA-20 is your doctor’s formal report to OWCP. Federal rules list what a medical report should include: dates of exam and treatment, history, physical findings, test results, diagnosis, course of treatment, any unrelated conditions, recommended treatment, extent of disability, prognosis, and a reasoned medical opinion on whether the condition was caused by your work (20 CFR 10.330). The causal opinion is often the part that matters most.
OWCP-5c: work capacity evaluation for musculoskeletal conditions
OWCP may ask your doctor to complete an OWCP-5c describing your work capacity: how long you can sit, stand, walk, lift or reach, and what restrictions apply. It is commonly requested in longer claims, for example when OWCP is considering a return to work.
Choosing or switching your doctor under FECA
You have the right to choose your physician for a federal work injury, whether a private doctor or a federal medical officer (20 CFR 10.300). Your agency is required to tell you about that right.
Changing doctors after your initial choice works differently. In general, a change of attending physician needs OWCP’s approval. The usual route is a written request to your OWCP claims examiner that names the new physician and explains why you want the change. Keep a copy, and wait for approval before assuming the new provider is authorized.
Continuation of pay and the 45-day rule
Continuation of pay means your agency keeps paying your regular salary for up to 45 calendar days while you are unable to work because of a traumatic injury. Under 20 CFR 10.205, you generally qualify only if:
- the injury was traumatic (a CA-1 claim, not a CA-2);
- you filed the CA-1 within 30 days of the injury; and
- your lost time began within 45 days of the injury.
If you are still unable to work when COP ends, the CA-7 is how you claim compensation after that.
What OWCP covers from chiropractors, and why a medical team matters
FECA treats a chiropractor as a physician only for one service: manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation demonstrated by X-ray (5 U.S.C. 8101; 20 CFR 10.311). The X-rays and exam needed to diagnose that subluxation are also payable. The chiropractor’s report must state that the X-rays show the subluxation. A chiropractor may also provide physical-therapy-type services only under the direction of, and as prescribed by, a qualified physician.
That rule shapes how a federal claim should be staffed:
- Our medical doctors can serve as your attending physician, complete CA-17, CA-20 and OWCP-5c forms, and prescribe care.
- Our chiropractic physicians provide spinal manipulation within the FECA limit, with the required X-ray documentation.
- Our physical therapists provide physical therapy when prescribed. The Department of Labor says physical therapy is usually authorized for the first 120 days after an injury, and longer care needs further medical support.
- Our clinic also offers EMG and nerve conduction testing, which may be requested when nerve injury is a question.
A note on candor: we can help you get the medical documentation right, but we cannot approve claims or speed up OWCP decisions. Those decisions belong to OWCP, and recovery from a work injury often takes longer than the paperwork suggests.
Frequently Asked Questions
A CA-1 is for a traumatic injury, meaning one caused by a specific event or incident during a single work shift. A CA-2 is for an occupational disease, meaning a condition caused by work factors over more than one shift. Only CA-1 claims can qualify for continuation of pay.
It helps, but it isn’t always required. For a traumatic injury, your agency can issue a CA-16 authorizing a first exam and treatment for up to 60 days. Ask your supervisor for one. If you don’t have it, call us anyway, and our front desk can explain your options.
Your doctor completes the medical findings and work restrictions on the CA-17. It tells your agency whether you can work full duty, light duty with specific limits, or not at all for now. It is usually updated as your condition changes.
Continuation of pay keeps your regular salary coming from your agency for up to 45 days after a traumatic injury that keeps you off work. You generally need to file a CA-1 within 30 days, and your lost time must begin within 45 days of the injury.
File a CA-7 to claim wage-loss compensation, for example when you are still unable to work after your 45 days of continuation of pay, or when COP doesn’t apply. Filing before COP ends can reduce a gap in pay. Your agency adds its section and sends it to OWCP.
Yes. Under FECA, you choose your initial physician, private or federal, and your agency must tell you about that right. Changing doctors later generally requires OWCP’s approval.
In general, you send a written request to your OWCP claims examiner that names the new physician and explains the reason for the change, then wait for approval. Call us before you send it, and our front desk can tell you what information our providers need to accept the transfer.
Only in a limited way. OWCP pays a chiropractor for manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation shown on X-ray, plus the related X-ray and exam. Other chiropractic services are payable only when directed and prescribed by a qualified physician.
Most injury care at East Coast Injury Clinic is covered through one of four paths: auto insurance PIP after a car accident, a personal injury attorney’s Letter of Protection, state workers’ compensation for a work injury, or federal workers’ compensation (OWCP or Longshore) if you are a federal or maritime employee. We also see patients under Medicare, Tricare, VA Community Care, and a limited number of private plans. Our front desk verifies coverage before your first visit and explains exactly what is and is not covered for your specific case, so there are no surprises. Call 904-513-3954 or visit eastcoastinjury.com to start.
Get help with your federal injury care
Call (904) 513-3954, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, or contact us online. Have your OWCP claim number (if you have one), your agency and supervisor contact, and any CA-16 your agency issued.
You can be seen at either Jacksonville clinic: Southside / Deerwood, 10550 Deerwood Park Blvd, Suite 609, Jacksonville, FL 32256, near JTB and I-295, or North Jacksonville, 13453 N Main St, Suite 302, Jacksonville, FL 32218, north of I-295. Learn more about our care team.
If your injury involves chest pain, trouble breathing, a head injury with confusion, or sudden weakness or numbness, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room first.
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The information provided on this page is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It does not constitute a diagnosis, treatment recommendation, or substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. Individual results vary. East Coast Injury Clinic’s services may not be appropriate for every condition or patient. Please consult a licensed healthcare professional to determine whether these services are right for your specific situation. Information provided about insurance, PIP, workers’ compensation, OWCP, or Longshore coverage is general and is not legal advice. For legal questions related to a claim, consult a licensed attorney.
East Coast Injury Clinic | 10550 Deerwood Park Blvd, Suite 609, Jacksonville, FL 32256 | 13453 N Main St, Suite 302, Jacksonville, FL 32218 | 904-513-3954 | eastcoastinjury.com
East Coast Injury Clinic: Serving Jacksonville and Duval County
Two Jacksonville clinics, one injury team: Southside at 10550 Deerwood Park Blvd, Suite 609, and North Jacksonville at 13453 N Main St, Suite 302.