A.O. and U.S. Postal Service, Columbia Post Office (Board decision, February 25, 2025)

ECAB final decision. The Board dismissed the appeal because the transmitted record contained no final adverse OWCP decision within the review period. It did not reach any compensation claim. A party may petition the Board for reconsideration within 30 days of issuance unless this order specifies another period, under 20 C.F.R. § 501.7(a). FECA compensation decisions are generally not subject to court review under 5 U.S.C. § 8128(b).

Plain-English summary

A postal employee appealed a purported June 2024 OWCP decision. The Board may review a final adverse OWCP decision issued within 180 days before the appeal. The case record transmitted to the Board contained no such decision. The Board therefore dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction without reviewing the underlying claim.

Decision snapshot

• Authority: FECA; 20 C.F.R. § 501.3(e).
• Outcome: Appeal dismissed for lack of a reviewable final OWCP decision.
• Key point: The Board required a final adverse OWCP decision within its 180-day appeal window.

Full text (ECAB public release)

United States Department of Labor
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

________
)
A.O., Appellant
)
)
and ) Docket No. 25-0260
)
Issued: February 25, 2025
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, POST OFFICE, )
Columbia, SC, Employer
)
__________ )

Appearances: Case Submitted on the Record
Appellant, pro se
Office of Solicitor, for the Director

ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL

Before:
ALEC J. KOROMILAS, Chief Judge
PATRICIA H. FITZGERALD, Deputy Chief Judge JANICE B. ASKIN, Judge

On November 11, 2024 appellant sought an appeal from a purported June 30, 2024 final adverse decision of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The Clerk of the Appellate Boards assigned the appeal Docket No. 25-0260.

The Board, having duly considered the matter, notes that the Board has jurisdiction to review final adverse decisions of OWCP issued under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. 1 This jurisdiction encompasses any final adverse decision issued by OWCP within 180 days of the date appellant filed the appeal. 2 The case record as transmitted to the Board does not contain a final adverse decision of OWCP issued within 180 days from the date of docketing of the current appeal.3 As there is no final adverse decision issued by OWCP over which the Board may properly

1
5 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq.; 20 C.F.R. §§ 501.2(c) and 501.3(a).
2
20 C.F.R. § 501.3(e) provides in pertinent part: “Any notice of appeal must be filed within 180 days from the date of issuance of a decision of the OWCP.”
3
20 C.F.R. § 501.3. exercise jurisdiction, the Board concludes that the appeal docketed as No. 25 -0260 must be dismissed.4 Accordingly,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT the appeal docketed as No. 25-0260 is dismissed.

Issued: February 25, 2025
Washington, DC

Alec J. Koromilas, Chief Judge
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Patricia H. Fitzgerald, Deputy Chief Judge Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Janice B. Askin, Judge
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

4
The Board’s decisions and orders are “final upon the expiration of 30 days from the date of their issuance.” 20 C.F.R. § 501.6(d).

2