Guide · Updated
What Is the Difference Between a CA-1 and a CA-2?
A CA-1 reports a traumatic injury caused by one event, or a series of events, within a single workday or shift. A CA-2 reports an occupational disease, meaning a condition caused by your work over more than one workday or shift. Only a CA-1 can start up to 45 days of Continuation of Pay.
If you got hurt or sick at a federal job, the first big question is which form to file. For most people, it is either the CA-1 or the CA-2. Both start a claim under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), and both go to your employer first. The difference comes down to how your condition happened.
The short version
- CA-1: Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation. Use it when one event, or a series of events in a single shift, hurt you.
- CA-2: Notice of Occupational Disease and Claim for Compensation. Use it when your work caused or worsened a condition over more than one workday or shift.
Both forms are free on the DOL FECA forms page, and both can be filed online through ECOMP.
What counts as a traumatic injury (CA-1)
Federal rules define a traumatic injury as a condition caused by a specific event or incident, or a series of them, within a single workday or shift (20 CFR 10.5(ee)). It must be caused by an outside force, including stress or strain. You should be able to name the time, the place, and the part of your body that was hurt.
Common examples:
- You slip on a wet floor and hurt your knee.
- You strain your back lifting a heavy tray of mail on one shift.
- A door slams on your hand.
If you can point to the day and the moment, it is usually a CA-1.
What counts as an occupational disease (CA-2)
An occupational disease is a condition produced by the work environment over a period longer than a single workday or shift (20 CFR 10.5(q)). It builds up over time.
Common examples:
- Wrist or hand pain from repetitive tasks done day after day.
- Shoulder or back problems from years of the same lifting or carrying.
- Hearing loss from ongoing noise at work.
- A skin or breathing problem from repeated exposure to something at work.
If there was no single “moment” and it got worse over weeks, months or years, it is usually a CA-2.
Why the right form matters
Continuation of Pay only comes with a CA-1
Continuation of Pay (COP) is your regular pay from your agency for up to 45 calendar days while you are out. COP is only for traumatic injuries. To get it, you must file the CA-1 within 30 days of the injury, and lost time must begin within 45 days (20 CFR 10.205). A CA-2 claim does not include COP. If you miss work for an occupational disease, you will usually use leave or file a CA-7 for wage loss.
The evidence is different
A CA-2 asks for more detail. You need to explain which job duties or exposures caused your condition, how long, and how often. Your employer may also give you a disease-specific checklist (Form CA-35) to fill out (20 CFR 10.116). For both forms, OWCP needs a medical report from your doctor that explains how your work caused or worsened your condition.
The deadlines
- CA-1: File within 30 days to protect COP. The outside limit for any claim is 3 years from the injury (20 CFR 10.100).
- CA-2: File within 3 years of when the condition began. If you did not know your work caused it, the clock starts when you knew, or reasonably should have known, about the link (20 CFR 10.101).
Do not wait for the deadline. Early filing makes it easier to get care and gather records.
What if it is not clear?
Some cases fall in a gray area. Say your back has ached for months from lifting, and then one day you feel a sharp pop. Talk with your doctor about what caused what, and describe the facts honestly on the form. Your agency’s injury compensation office can also help you decide.
If an old accepted injury comes back without a new accident, you may need a different form, the CA-2a. Learn more in our post on the difference between a CA-2 and a CA-2a. If you are filing a CA-1, read our 5 tips for completing your CA-1.
After you file
Your employer has 10 working days to complete its part and send the form to OWCP in most cases, and it should give you a Receipt of Notice and copies of the form (20 CFR 10.110). Keep copies of everything.
You also have the right to choose your own treating physician. Many federal workers in McAllen and Harlingen choose a clinic that knows OWCP paperwork. Our OWCP forms help page explains what each form is for, and our federal workers’ compensation doctors page explains how care works under FECA.
How Alivio can help
Alivio Health & Rehab is enrolled with OWCP and bills the Department of Labor directly. Our team offers a free consultation and free help with OWCP forms at our McAllen clinic and Harlingen clinic. Call (956) 679-3451 to get started, in English or Spanish.
Quick answers
Can someone else file my CA-1 or CA-2 for me?
Yes. Under FECA rules, another person, including your employer, may give notice of your injury or illness on your behalf. The form still goes to your employer, and the notice must include your Social Security number. If you are able, it is usually simplest to file it yourself.
What if I already filed the wrong form?
Tell your agency's injury compensation office and OWCP right away. OWCP looks at the facts of what happened, not just the form number. Filing the right form from the start, though, helps avoid delays and extra requests for information.
Sources
Medically reviewed by Peter Ruiz, MD, Medical Director. MD · Family Medicine · Texas Medical Board license N2270
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