The Foreign Service Journal, May 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2014 9 Promoting FS Health I am writing in response to the Speaking Out column in your November 2013 issue (“Keeping Faith with State’s Wounded War- riors,” by Juliet Wurr) and to the t wo letters to the editor in the January- February 2014 issue involving a workers’ compensation claim. Although the State Depart- ment cannot comment on medical and confidential information on specific employees, the department shares the concerns about the health risks that many of our Foreign and Civil Service employees face when posted abroad. We have taken appropriate and effective action to address them. The State Department provides sup- port to its employees in filing claims for workers’ compensation benefits under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, a program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Work- ers’ Compensation Programs. Although OWCP is responsible for adjudicating claims for workers’ compensation, the department works closely with OWCP and its employees to assist them if an employee believes that he or she con- tracted a disease or other injury causally related to his or her employment. The department also consults regu- larly with OWCP regarding the sup- porting documentation and standards it applies in evaluating claims, includ- ing the required demonstration by an employee that a disease was contracted in the performance of duty. The depart- ment strongly believes that Foreign Service employees, as well as all other federal government employees posted abroad, who contract an infectious dis- ease endemic to their country of assign- ment should be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits under FECA. LETTERS The depart- ment has engaged in numerous discussions with OWCP regarding this issue, and we understand that OWCP shares this view. We con- tinue to work with OWCP to clarify the standards it applies to the adjudication of such cases. In addition to its work with OWCP, the department is committed to enhanc- ing its efforts to inform Foreign Service and other U.S. government civilian employees posted abroad regarding the health risks they face in their countries of assignment, and to provide them the necessary resources and direction to mitigate these risks. The Department of State’s Office of Medical Services strives to safeguard and promote the health and well-being of America’s diplomatic community. Overseas, MED provides primary care and mental health services, manages hospitalizations and medical evacua- tions, and assesses local health threats and medical resources for more than 50,000 employees and their eligible family members serving under chief-of- mission authority. MED staff members promote well- ness through health promotion, educa- tion, immunizations and attention to health maintenance. They provide occu- pational and travel medical services to maintain a safe workplace and healthy workforce worldwide. They also prepare for medical responses to pandemics, disasters and terrorist attacks by emergency planning, staff training and stockpiling of emer- gency drugs, medical supplies and per- sonal protective equipment. And they support deployments to zones of armed conflict by psychologically preparing, screening and treating employees for post-traumatic stress disorders or other related mental health conditions. Hans G. Klemm Acting Director General for the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources Washington, D.C. A Clarification Regarding Workers’ Comp The AFSA News article “Claiming Workers’ Compensation” in your January-February issue states: “The cost of long-term treatment of all civilian fed- eral government employees—including members of the Foreign Service—who are injured in the line of duty, or suffer from a medical or psychiatric condition that can be attributed to government service domestically or overseas, is reimbursed through the Office of Work- ers’ Compensation in the Department of Labor, and not through the foreign affairs agencies.” While it is correct that the Depart- ment of Labor adjudicates claims, pays claim-related medical bills and pays monetary, wage-loss compensation for those who are unable to work or who have incurred permanent impairments, all these related expenses are actually charged back to the employing agency at the end of the year. Of primary importance, however, is not which agency covers such expenses, but seeing that all claims are handled fairly and in a timely manner by OWCP. That is our goal. Judy Goodman Ikels Chief, Work/Life Division U.S. Department of State Washington, D.C.