Editorial: Postal Workers OWCP Indictments

August 11, 2009 by
Filed under: Injured On Duty, legal cases, owcp, postal employees 

The OIG press release about the OWCP indictments stated, “The United States Postal Service has a policy of returning disabled employees to a limited duty position or part-time employment at the earliest opportunity during their recovery from their work-related injury.”  What happened to the National Reassessment Process?  Doesn’t that do the opposite?
 
“Pursuant to OWCP procedures and policy, disabled employees receiving FECA benefits are required to disclose salaried, commissioned, and self-employment activities as well as volunteer activities when claiming entitlement to worker’s compensation benefits.”  That’s right–even volunteer activities like Sunday School teacher, Girl Scouts or APWU state vice president have to be disclosed on the form or you can be NAILED.  If a person is not willing to stay home and do nothing outside their restrictions, then they would be best off taking a disability retirement.
 
Everyone on OWCP is scrutinized these days.  Tactics include installing a hidden video camera on a telephone pole in front of the home.  Attached are two photos of one taken by a letter carrier.  He witnessed it being installed, and curious, asked the contractor about it, who told him!  The small rectangle on the side of the box is a one-way glass.  The letter carrier complained to his steward, who complained to management, and the box was removed a few days later.  The video signal is sent over the electrical wires to a distant monitoring station, giving OIG a live feed to a DVR.  The City of Federal Way, WA installed a similar video surveillance setup all over town: http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-052709-surveillancecameras2,0,3778257.story

Updated: Video Camera On pole (PDF)

Don

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Comments

12 Comments on Editorial: Postal Workers OWCP Indictments

  1. PM on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 1:16 am

    2. LOL I saw them in a tent at a campground, which they did not get permission from the owner to be there and run their investigation. Gee they must be campers when they’re only there during the day, leave their coolers out in the sun, sit in the sun with long sleeved shirts on and pale as Casper! The best part was when a storm came through and blew their tent over, of course that WASN’T in the video. In fact the OIG couldn’t even figure out how to keep the date and time right on the damn camera, but you know, they never lie!! cha right

  2. stephen tobleman on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 8:47 am

    3. they ought to be filming all of the supervisors who just sit around a computer all day playing games or who leave early to go play golf without being charged for annual leave

  3. Toaster on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 9:25 am

    4. OIG should be filming all the cheating inept managers and light duty personnel sitting around doing nothing.

  4. hugh mongo on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 12:38 pm

    5. That must be a fun job being paid to spy all day. And what a show you could put on if your the one being filmed and you know the cameras there.

  5. Olga Butzbinio on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 12:41 pm

    6. We better be carefull what we do in the ladies room, for you know those pigs have a camera set up in there.

  6. Pedro Rodriquez on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 12:45 pm

    7. If I catch I take camera so no more can film me.

  7. Thelma on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 12:48 pm

    8. Like can they really do that? How shamefull being a FECA and having to sneak around all the time.

  8. Mailgoose on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 12:52 pm

    9. Keep your nose clean, don’t get hurt; saftey first.
    Semper Fi

  9. Doo Doo on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 12:55 pm

    10. If they put a camera in our locker room, I’ll show them a handicap

  10. not easy petice on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 2:44 pm

    11. As long as I can still go to the Elks on Spagetti night, I don’t care what they do

  11. Ann T. on Thu, 13th Aug 2009 12:39 pm

    12. From what I understand, there is an award of $12,000 or more for turning in someone who is involved in fraud when using OWCP. Because of this, several people down at the Cleveland Distribution Center in Cleveland, Ohio have been turned in for fraud.

    Many have been fired and indicted.

    Follow your doctor’s orders. If he writes “do not lift more than 10 pounds” then don’t lift more than 10 pounds.

    You will have good days and bad days but it will work out best if you follow your doctor’s orders.

    It is a violation of federal criminal law for a claimant to knowingly make a false representation on an OWCP claim (A false representation typically involves unreported income or misrepresentation of one’s physical limitation.)

  12. Buck Wheat on Sun, 16th Aug 2009 5:42 am

    13. I enjoy reading the comments from all you OWCP fraudsters. Watch management boo hoo…the supervisor left early to play golf waaaa. Shut the hell up you phonies. Oh yes for 12 grand I would turn you criminals over in a heart beat…heck I would it for free just to hope your sorry behinds could go to jail.