Everyone makes mistakes, and the federal government isn’t exempt. You’ve been receiving your benefits for years now via a direct deposit to your account every month. One day, you receive a letter in the mail informing you that you’ve been overpaid, and it has been going on for quite some time. The federal government is always going to try to right a wrong, but they aren’t as lenient when it comes to forgiveness even when the blame initially lay on them for reasons we’ll take a look at shortly.
Have you received an OWCP overpayment letter? Let us help you have this sorted out with as little hassle as possible so you can continue receiving the federal workers’ compensation that you deserve. Please call us today on 1-877-561-3004 for your free consultation into this and other matters touching on federal workers’ compensation.
How to Deal With an OWCP Overpayment Letter
OWCP usually sends out an overpayment letter as a formality. In the bigger scheme of things, it is a bureaucratic move that will place the ball in your court. Now, it is important to note that if you became aware of the surplus in your payments, kept it and are ready to pay it back, it is in your best interests to do so without so much as a fight or resentment. Simply fill in the OWCP-20 form, request a conference call with the District Office to discuss a possible waiver regarding the overpayment, and do as you’re told by the agency (this might include waiting for a letter regarding their final decision in the matter regarding who was at fault and the steps needed to take going forward).
Here are some of the factors which might influence OWCP’s decision regarding overpayment:
- Was there good faith on your part in reporting the error?
- Did you have a reasonably fair familiarity with the compensation system?
- Did or do you have a mental disability which hindered your understanding?
- Was there clarity in correspondence between you and the agency?
- What is your current age?
- What is your education and comprehension level?
- What efforts are you making to comply with the reporting requirements?
- Has there been compliance as regards to similar matters in the past?
- Did you understand your obligations to return payments?
Legal Help for Federal Workers’ Compensation
OWCP is generally lenient if they determine you exercised reasonable care to report any changes in your payment and that you are trying to do the right thing to right a wrong with their help. That being said, it is best to work with a federal compensation attorney so you can be sure that your benefits won’t be terminated even if you made a mistake such as spending the overpayment. Don’t spend your days and nights drowning in anxiety: give us a call today on 1-877-561-3004 for your free and confidential consultation. Thanks for choosing us
