Which 1916 U.S. law created workers’ compensation for federal civilian employees?

The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act created workers’ compensation for U.S. federal civilian employees.

Enacted in 1916, the law provides benefits for federal employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses. Covered benefits can include medical treatment, wage replacement, and compensation for disability or death resulting from an employment-related condition.

The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. It operates differently from state workers’ compensation systems because federal civilian employment is governed by a federal program rather than by a particular state’s general workers’ compensation law.

The act is often confused with the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, which concerns railroad employees and uses a different legal framework. It is also separate from the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, which covers specified maritime workers.