Are there certain rules regarding Agency review of cases?
The administration of the FECA is the sole responsibility of OWCP. Agency requests to review the case file or for copies of material in a case file should be consistent with the role of agency personnel described in the FECA’s implementing regulations and the Privacy Act. Appropriate reasons for review are limited to verification that an employee worked for the agency, or to attempt reemployment of an injured worker. Routine review of case files to monitor OWCP’s actions is not appropriate. We will consider a request for file review from an agency undergoing reorganization or other major change, which creates a one-time need for documents to be used in establishing agency files. Agency investigators are subject to these same rules unless a criminal investigation is underway. We will require the agency’s investigative file number to document the reason for exception. The investigator should also indicate the reason that criminal activity is suspected and the expected relevance of OWCP c
