F.R. and U.S. Postal Service, Dallas Network Distribution Center (Board decision, May 1, 2025)

ECAB final decision dismissing appeal. The Board dismissed the appeal for lack of a final adverse OWCP decision. Under 20 C.F.R. § 501.6(d), this order becomes final 30 days after issuance. A party may petition the Board for reconsideration within 30 days unless this order specifies another period, under 20 C.F.R. § 501.7(a).

Plain-English summary

A postal worker tried to appeal two OWCP letters explaining recoupment procedures. The Board found the letters were informational and were not final adverse decisions. It dismissed the appeal without reviewing the underlying compensation dispute.

Decision snapshot

• Authority: 20 C.F.R. §§ 501.3, 501.6(d), 501.7(a).
• Outcome: Appeal dismissed for lack of a reviewable OWCP decision.
• Key point: Informational letters about recoupment were not appealable final decisions.

Full text (ECAB public release)

United States Department of Labor
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

________
)
F.R., Appellant
)
)
and ) Docket No. 25-0437
)
Issued: May 1, 2025
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, DALLAS NETWORK )
DISTRIBUTION CENTER, Dallas, TX, )
Employer
)
__________ )

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

ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL

Before:
PATRICIA H. FITZGERALD, Deputy Chief Judge JANICE B. ASKIN, Judge
VALERIE D. EVANS-HARRELL, Alternate Judge

On March 26, 2025 appellant sought an appeal from purported September 25 and October 28, 2024 decisions of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The Clerk of the Appellate Boards assigned the appeal Docket No. 25-0437.

The Board, having duly considered this 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 Although the case record does contain letters from OWCP dated September 25 and October 28, 2024, they are purely informational in nature as they explain the recoupment procedures to appellant. Thus, these letters do not constitute final adverse OWCP

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
Id. decisions from which appellant may properly appeal.4 As there is no final adverse decision issued by OWCP over which the Board may properly exercise jurisdiction, the Board concludes that the appeal docketed as No. 25-0437 must be dismissed. 5 Accordingly,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT the appeal docketed as No. 25-0437 is dismissed.

Issued: May 1, 2025
Washington, DC

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

Janice B. Askin, Judge
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Valerie D. Evans-Harrell, Alternate Judge Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

4
See Order Dismissing Appeal, J.G., Docket No. 22-0657 (issued April 19, 2023); Order Dismissing Appeal, K.S., Docket No. 20-1401 (issued March 17, 2021); Order Dismissing Appeal, S.U., Docket No. 20-0636 (issued December 3, 2020) (correspondence that is purely informational in nature does not constitute a final adverse decision of OWCP from which appellant may properly appeal). 5 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