H.R. 8822: Federal Workers’ Compensation Integrity and Care Act

This bill would change the rules for the federal workers’ compensation program so the Department of Labor can more easily check whether people receiving benefits are still eligible.

What the bill does

It adds a new section to the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act allowing the Secretary of Labor, when reviewing one or more employees, to request certain information from other federal agencies without first getting permission from, or notifying, the employee.

Information that could be shared

• From the Social Security Administration: earnings information and information about monthly Social Security benefit payments.
• From the Department of Health and Human Services: information from the National Directory of New Hires, which includes wage and employment-related data.

How the process would work

• The requested information would have to be provided in a timely manner.
• The information would have to be provided at no cost to the Department of Labor.
• The details of how often, in what format, and by what method the information is shared would be set out in agreements between Labor and the other agencies.
• Within 90 days after the bill becomes law, the Secretary of Labor would have to sign those agreements and create procedures to match benefit recipients with the earnings and employment data they receive.

Purpose of the bill

The bill says its goal is to improve compliance with the workers’ compensation program and to detect and prevent improper payments. In practical terms, that means the Labor Department would get better tools to see whether someone receiving workers’ compensation benefits has earnings or employment that may affect their eligibility.

When it would apply

The new data-sharing rules would apply to payments made under the federal workers’ compensation program on or after the date the bill is enacted.

Relevant Companies

None found