Evening star., 1950-03-05

INJURIES anu duOltAOIAdA dAAOIAAoo
for employees with dependents are
|among the new features designed
to compensate more adequately Tor
vhe financial losses caused by work
injuries and occupational diseases.
All civilian Federal employees.
whether doing routine clerical
work or performing extra-hazard-
Gus industrial operations for the
Government, are covered by the
provisions of the new act. Addi-
tional cash benefits are expected
to reach many millions OF dollars
per year. Accident prevention work
and rehabilitation services are to
be greatly expanded.
Under the old law the most an
injured employe could receive in
disability compensation in a year
was 81, 400, and although his sal
airy may have been much higher
than $2,100 per year. he received
compensation on the basis OF
ST. 100 as a maximum salary.
How extensive the change is
under the new law may be seen
by the fact that certain injured
employees who formerly received
the yearly maximum of 81 400 may
now receive as much as $1,000 per
year in compensation, depending
upon their salary rate at the time
of injury, Of course.
The new law provides moreover
that the least that can be paid for
one year of temporary disability
shall be 1850, nearly as much as
the maximum amount allowed
under the old provisions. If the
wage rate of an injured employe
is less than $3.50 per year, he
will receive his full wages during
periods of total disa bility.
+
DEPENDENTS
The basic compensation rate re-
mains the same as it was before,
that is. 6625 per cent of your wage
rate at the time of injury. The
new law. however, provides that if
you have one, or more dependents
during your period of disability an
additional amount Of compensa-
ton will be paid, increasing the
compensation rate to rs per cent
of your wage rate at the time of
injury. Dependents include wife,
unmarried child under 18, a wholly
dependent husband, or wholly
dependent parent.
Another feature of the new act
worth noting is that each en-
ploye may elect to choose whether
he wishes to use either annual
leave. sick leave, or both. to cover
all or a portion Of the period of
his disability. If he decides not
to use either, then compensation
accrues Immediately after the
three-day waiting period for dis
ability of 81 days or less. If he
elects to use no leave, either an
nual or sick, and his disability
extends beyond 21 days. compen-
sation accrues from the day fol-
lowing the injury date.
The amendments specify the
formula for computing the wage
for compensation purposes by pro-
viding that the annual wage shall
be 260 times the average daily
wage for a 5-day week worker.
(280 days for 51a-day week,
and 800 for a 6-day week. The
monthly wage is 1/l2 of this an
nual wage and the weekly wage
is 1852. The compensation rate
Is "a Cor if an employe has de-
pendents. "a of the monthly or
weekly wages. A shorter formula
may be used permitting payment
at 20 or "a of the daily wage
for work days lost without pay
where the disability is less than
80 calendar days. Compensation
is computed on the gross wage
before deductions for retirement
or leave.
X
Permanent Injuries.
The new law includes special
schedule of additional benefits
for employees who sustain perma-
nent injuries, involving dismem-
berment or functional loss of Ger
tain bodily members. These bene-
fits are payable in addition to
amounts paid for temporary dis
ability.
In instances of 10O9o loss or i'm
pairment of major members where
loss of earning capacity continues,
compensation payments may ex-
tend beyond the period provided
by the schedule.
The act contemplates that in
jured employees will be helped in
their struggle to overcome the fire.
quent handicaps they suffer in try
ing to return to gainful employ
ment following an occupational
injury. Federal agencies in the re-
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