Evening star., 1925-11-01

Uncle Sans employees, like those
of private industrial organizations,
are protected against absolute pow
erty In the event that they are dis
abled while performing their duties.
An act providing compensation for
those receiving injuries as a result
of their work was passed some years
ago and the United States Employees
Compensation Commission was ap-
pointed. Previous TO this the only
way in which Government employe
| injured in performance of duty could
| receive assistance was by a special act
Of Congress.
The commission is intrusted with
the task of passing upon all claims
for compensation. Under the law any
person IN Government service who Is
disabled for a period of more than
three days as a result of injury in
Cured in the performance of duty
| Is entitled to compensation to the
| amount of two-thirds of his pay.
This amount. however, must in no in
stance exceed $66.67 a month.
In addition to this compensation he
| is entitled to reasonable hospital,
| medical and surgical attention at
the expense OF the Government.
Wherever possible this attention must
be given by medical officers Of the
Government such as officers of the
Public Health Service. Army or
Navy. If none Of these Is available.
then a private physician designated
or approved by the commission may
| be called IN. OF course. IN the event
of an emergency. such as an acci-
| dent, the nearest available physician
| may be called and the comission win
pay his fee.
Limitations.
In order to be entitled to compensa-
| ton and the other benefits Of the COM
pensation act II Is necessary to prove
| that the injury or disability is not the
result of the employees willful miscon.
duct, intention to bring about the In
| jury or death Of himself or another, or
| of intoxication. Also no claims can
| be allowed which are not filed within
| one year of the date Of the injury.
When a man Is injured the case Is
| Immediately reported to his superior.
| who, in turn, notifies the commission.
| The claim Is then filed promptly on
| the blank furnished for this particu.
| lar purpose.
In the case of death due to injury
received in performance of duty the
| widow is paid 80 per cent of the salary
| of the deceased and an additional 10
per cent for each child. The total
must not exceed s66.67 a month. Com,
| pensation Is paid to the widow until
| she remarries or dies. 1t is paid to
| the child only until he becomes is
| years of age, unless he is mentally or
physically incapable Of self-support
after that time. If the child marries
before reaching the age of Is the com.
/ pensation Is discontinued.
rL.II.1.~ r...J I,o-
| If there is no widow, but one child
under Is, 25 per cent of the monthly
pay of the employe Is allowed the
child. To each additional child 10 per
| cent of the monthly pay is allowed.
| The total amount of such compensa-
ton Is to be equally divided among
the children and Is paid to their guard.
| ian until they reach the age of 1S.
In the case OF death the Govern.
ment will pay funeral expenses up to
| 800. Also, If the employe dies while
he Is away from his home station his
, remains will be shipped to his home
at the expense Of the Government.
That is, If man whose headquarters
are In Washington dies while doing
| special work in New Mexico. his re-
| mains may be sent to his home any.
| where in the United States. II, how.
| ever, he dies while in Washington, his
home station. no provision is made
under the law for shipping the body
to his original home at Government
| expense.
Law Broadly Interpreted.
| While the commission does not dare
| allow it's sympathies to affect it's deci.
sions, 1t does interpret the law In a
broad sense. That is, wherever 1t is
| possible It gives the claimant the bene.
| fit Of the doubt. Also, 1t does every.
| thing in it's power to investigate each
| case thoroughly, to the end that the
claimant may get everything that is
due him.
An example of this was the case of
a man employed at one OF the fishery
hatcheries whose death, according to
| physicians, was caused by lead poison.
ing. It was believed that this had re.
| suited from his drinking water from a
| certain cistern. At the instigation of
| the commission the Public Health
Service made a thorough examination
| Of the water and also Of conditions
surrounding the cistern, and the Anal
| tconclusion was that the man had for
30 years been drinking water contain
ms lead. and that this had brought