Can federal workers receive FECA benefits for injuries sustained during commuting or travel between work and home, and what are the criteria for establishing coverage in these situations?

This is a very unique situation with a lot of caveats. Typically, federal workers are not entitled to compensation for injuries sustained while commuting, also known as the “going and coming” rule. This is because this time is typically not used to perform work-related duties. However, as with anything in life, there are exceptions, as we’re about to see. Injured federal workers may be eligible for benefits if they had been tasked to perform special errands for their employers and then got injured while in transit. In addition, compensation for your injuries may be availed if you were using transport provided by your employer, or if they reimbursed you for your transport costs. On top of that, if your federal employer has a different work location that you commuted to, or a commuting work place they control, compensation for your injuries may be available. That said, 5 U.S.C § 8102(a) requires that you show your injury or illness happened in the course of your employment, and this includes those that occur while commuting or traveling.