income, but that ―it still does not fully account for disadvantages faced by FECA recipients,‖ notably the lost raises, promotions, and benefits from having a working career cut short by disabling injury.80 Ron Watson, testifying for the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), also argued that FECA benefits are not generally higher than federal retirement benefits, considering that most federal employees are covered by FERS, under which retirees receive an annuity, Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan benefits.81 GAO has advised the Committee that a preliminary analysis by GAO shows the median FECA benefit to be about 26 percent higher than the median annual annuity received by federal retirees.
The Committee recognizes that workers who suffer workplace disability often suffer financial as well as other disadvantages, but was persuaded by other testimony and materials showing that the current FECA benefit levels are inequitably high after retirement age. The Committee determined to incorporate a provision similar to the Administration‘s proposal into S. 1789.
The Committee also gave considerable attention to the question of whether and how to apply the changed benefit structure to individuals injured before the date of enactment. Both the current Administration and the previous Administration advocated that any reduced benefits under FECA reforms should apply only to individuals injured after the date of enactment. S. 261 and S. 353 took a different approach, applying to individuals injured before the effective date as well as those injured in the future.
The Committee decided that current and future FECA enrollees should generally be subject to the same provisions. However, recognizing a potential burden to current recipients who would face cuts, the Committee opted to gradually transition current recipients to the new benefit structure and to exempt the most severely disabled employees. Therefore, the bill grandfathers certain existing FECA beneficiaries and provides a delayed transition for others, as detailed in section 302 of the bill. DOL has advised the Committee that, under these provisions, about half of FECA beneficiaries who are now on FECA‘s long-term disability rolls will not see their benefit level reduced under S.1789, either because they are already over retirement age or because they qualify under the bill‘s criteria for being permanently, totally disabled and unable to return to work.82
Augmented Compensation for Dependents. Under FECA, the rate of compensation is 66 2/3 percent of a worker‘s pre-disability wage lost due to the occupational injury, if the worker is unmarried and has no dependents. However, for beneficiaries with a spouse or other dependent, the augmented compensation provision under the FECA program raises benefits to a rate of 75 percent of their pre-disability wages. Currently, more than 70 percent of FECA beneficiaries are receiving augmented compensation.83
income, but that ―it still does not fully account for disadvantages faced by FECA recipients,‖ notably the lost raises, promotions, and benefits from having a working career cut short by disabling injury.80 Ron Watson, testifying for the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), also argued that FECA benefits are not generally higher than federal retirement benefits, considering that most federal employees are covered by FERS, under which retirees receive an annuity, Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan benefits.81 GAO has advised the Committee that a preliminary analysis by GAO shows the median FECA benefit to be about 26 percent higher than the median annual annuity received by federal retirees.The Committee recognizes that workers who suffer workplace disability often suffer financial as well as other disadvantages, but was persuaded by other testimony and materials showing that the current FECA benefit levels are inequitably high after retirement age. The Committee determined to incorporate a provision similar to the Administration‘s proposal into S. 1789.The Committee also gave considerable attention to the question of whether and how to apply the changed benefit structure to individuals injured before the date of enactment. Both the current Administration and the previous Administration advocated that any reduced benefits under FECA reforms should apply only to individuals injured after the date of enactment. S. 261 and S. 353 took a different approach, applying to individuals injured before the effective date as well as those injured in the future.The Committee decided that current and future FECA enrollees should generally be subject to the same provisions. However, recognizing a potential burden to current recipients who would face cuts, the Committee opted to gradually transition current recipients to the new benefit structure and to exempt the most severely disabled employees. Therefore, the bill grandfathers certain existing FECA beneficiaries and provides a delayed transition for others, as detailed in section 302 of the bill. DOL has advised the Committee that, under these provisions, about half of FECA beneficiaries who are now on FECA‘s long-term disability rolls will not see their benefit level reduced under S.1789, either because they are already over retirement age or because they qualify under the bill‘s criteria for being permanently, totally disabled and unable to return to work.82Augmented Compensation for Dependents. Under FECA, the rate of compensation is 66 2/3 percent of a worker‘s pre-disability wage lost due to the occupational injury, if the worker is unmarried and has no dependents. However, for beneficiaries with a spouse or other dependent, the augmented compensation provision under the FECA program raises benefits to a rate of 75 percent of their pre-disability wages. Currently, more than 70 percent of FECA beneficiaries are receiving augmented compensation.83
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
