1 Pipeline Program Coordinator: Susan Atwood

2 Objectives * Pipeline Program Overview and Eligibility * Pipeline Process from request to confirmation * Job Offers – Unique considerations * Questionnaire * Q&A

3 Pipeline Program Overview *An initiative authorized by the Secretary of Defense to encourage return-to-work efforts for DoD civilian employees, who have been injured on the job, who can no longer perform their date-of-injury job.

4 Why was the Program created? To create opportunities for DoD injured civilians to continue their career in Federal service To reduce lost production days due to work- related injury and illness To reduce wage loss compensation costs

5 Why was the Program created? FY 2008 $2.573 Billion Federal Employee Compensation for all of government $614 Million DoD Employee Compensation $425 Million is wage loss compensation $1.2 Million/day in wage loss compensation

6 Why was the Program created? To address the two most significant issues that have historically prevented reemployment of our injured workers: *Resource Allocation – no current FTE *Funding – no funds available to create a light duty position

7 What does Pipeline provide? *Over hire authority to reemploy injured workers who have the ability to return to some type of work, but can no longer perform their date-of-injury job. *Funds to cover salary, health insurance, life insurance, and 1% TSP for one full year.

8 *Each component (AF, AR, NV, DoD) contributes dollars to the program annually. *By accepting Pipeline funding, the employing agency agrees to integrate the injured worker into an agency funded position during the one year of pipeline funding.

9 Program Statistics 2005 through 2008 # of cases Future Cost Avoidance Air Force167$ 90,789,991 Army ,756,112 Navy ,022,490 DOD 71 40,539,719 Totals: 686 $457,108,312

Cumulative # of PipelineFuture Cost Month OffersAvoidance* October 17$11,918, November 11 19,637, December 9 26,018200,52 January ,266, February March April May June JulyAverage: $673,000 Future Cost Avoidance per case August September *Total amount of wage loss compensation that would have been paid to each injured worker through age 75 had the opportunity to return to work not been offered.

11 Who is Eligible? *Any DoD installation may request assistance of the Pipeline Program. The injured employee being returned to work must be an appropriated fund civilian employee who has an accepted workers’ compensation claim. (Not National Guard) *The Injured worker must have received wage loss compensation for a minimum of 90 days in the recent past (can be COP + LWOP) -OR- * Statement on Agency Letterhead: But for the availability of the Pipeline Program the Injured worker would be separated or sent home and would have entitlement to wage loss compensation.

12 Pipeline Process Within 60 days of the employee’s acceptance of the position: *The permanent job offer, the injured worker’s signed acceptance, and the position description of the position offered is submitted to the DoD Liaison. (Plus the “But for Pipeline” letter on agency letterhead, if necessary.) *The ICPA and/or the DoD Liaison will complete the Pipeline Candidate Worksheet. *The DoD Liaison will submit the Pipeline packet (offer, acceptance, PD and Worksheet) to the Pipeline Program Coordinator.

13 Pipeline Candidate Worksheet Available on DefPAC Must clearly indicate: MIPR POC MIPR phone number MIPR fax number MIPR address MIPR physical address

14 Pipeline Process *The Pipeline Program Coordinator will authorize funding for eligible employees and submit a MIPR to BMD. *BMD will MIPR funds to the employing agency - usually within 3-5 days. *The MIPR POC at the employing agency must acknowledge acceptance of the MIPR’d funds to BMD.

15 Pipeline Process *The Pipeline Program Coordinator will notify the submitting DoD Liaison of acceptance or denial. *An acceptance will state the amount of Pipeline funding being sent by MIPR, and, the Projected Cost Avoidance. *A denial will state the reason why the case could not be accepted into the Pipeline Program. *The DoD Liaison can pass this information on to you.

16 Job Offers OWCP Required Elements of a Job Offer * Title of the job being offered *Description of the duties to be performed *Physical requirements of the position *Organizational and geographical location of the job *Date the job is available *Date by which a response to the job offer is required *Pay rate

17 Job Offers Relocation If the employee has been separated, and accepting the position would require the employee to move to a new location, the following statement should be incorporated into the job offer: “There is no DoD agency within a 50 mile radius of your current home address that has a permanent position to offer you that is within your permanent restrictions. PCS costs to the location of this position will be paid for by the employing agency.”

18 Job Offers Relocation Evidence to verify that all DoD installations within a 50 mile radius of the claimant’s current address have been contacted, ask if they have permanent light duty available to offer the injured worker, and each installation’s negative response must be submitted to OWCP for inclusion in the case file prior to making the job offer. Evidence: mail correspondence; documentation of this activity/task

19 Check with your Liaison when you are preparing to make a job offer to an injured worker to see if the case will qualify for Pipeline funding.

20 Questionnaire DOL CPO Code Used Pipeline in the past? Cases with return to work capacity? Obstacles to be overcome? Discussion/contact with your Liaison? Discussion/contact with the Pipeline Program Coordinator? On-site Pipeline presentation at your installation? Comments concerning obstacles, assistance, or anything else…

21 Assistance is available at any time from CPMS Headquarters or the Pipeline Program Manager. CPMS Headquarters (703) Pipeline Program Manager (303) Or any of the District DoD Liaisons

22 QUESTIONS? Pipeline Program Coordinator: Susan Atwood (303)