OWCP Form CA-10 is a U.S. Department of Labor information sheet—not a claim form—that summarizes the first steps after a federal work injury: report the injury, obtain appropriate medical care, and file the form that matches how the condition occurred. A traumatic injury generally uses Form CA-1; an occupational disease generally uses Form CA-2. Separate rules govern Continuation of Pay, medical authorization, and evidence.
What is OWCP Form CA-10?
The Department of Labor identifies CA-10 as “What A Federal Employee Should Do When Injured At Work.” The current official PDF is Form CA-10, revised October 2021. It is a plain-language information sheet for federal employees and agencies.
CA-10 emphasizes three immediate subjects: reporting a job-related injury to a supervisor, obtaining medical care, and giving written notice through the appropriate OWCP form. It also explains that a work injury can include an illness or disease caused or aggravated by employment, as well as damage to certain prosthetic devices.
CA-10 is guidance, not the claim itself
CA-10 does not open a FECA claim, authorize every medical service, or replace the employee’s notice form. The employee still uses Form CA-1 for a traumatic injury or Form CA-2 for an occupational disease. The employing agency and OWCP then follow the applicable regulations and case-specific evidence.
Step 1: Report the injury promptly
CA-10 tells employees to report every job-related injury to a supervisor as soon as possible. Prompt reporting helps the agency document what happened, provide the correct forms, and address medical authorization when appropriate.
Current 20 CFR 10.100 says a traumatic-injury notice is filed on Form CA-1. Current 20 CFR 10.101 says an occupational-disease notice is filed on Form CA-2. Both regulations contain a general three-year notice rule and additional timeliness provisions. Those rules should not be mistaken for permission to delay reporting.
Step 2: Obtain appropriate medical care
For a traumatic injury requiring examination or treatment, current 20 CFR 10.300 says the employer authorizes care by issuing Form CA-16. The regulation says the employer should issue CA-16 within four hours of the claimed injury; verbal authorization should be followed by the form within 48 hours. An employer is not required to issue CA-16 more than one week after the claimed injury.
CA-16 generally may be used for an occupational disease only with prior OWCP permission. In an emergency, any qualified physician may provide initial treatment. The regulation also protects the employee’s initial choice of a qualified physician, subject to OWCP exclusions and later change-of-physician rules.
What CA-16 does—and does not do
CA-16 is an authorization for examination and/or treatment, not a decision accepting the FECA claim. Current 20 CFR 10.300 says it authorizes treatment for 60 days from the date of injury unless OWCP ends the authorization sooner. Eligibility and payment still depend on the governing rules and the facts of the claim.
Step 3: Use CA-1 or CA-2
The correct notice form depends on how the condition occurred.
| Situation | Form | General distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Traumatic injury | CA-1 | A condition caused by a specific event or incident, or a series of events or incidents, within one workday or shift. |
| Occupational disease | CA-2 | A condition attributed to work factors or exposure over more than one workday or shift. |
Continuation of Pay has a separate 30-day filing rule
The general notice rules and Continuation of Pay are related but not identical. Current 20 CFR 10.205 states that, to be eligible for COP after a qualifying traumatic injury, the employee must file Form CA-1 within 30 days and begin losing time within 45 days of the injury. Current 20 CFR 10.200 says COP may continue regular pay for up to 45 calendar days for most eligible employees with traumatic injuries.
COP does not apply to every condition or employee, and OWCP makes the final entitlement determination. Filing promptly protects options that may have shorter requirements than the general three-year notice rule.
What information should an employee organize?
- The date, time, and place of the incident, or the period of repeated work activity or exposure.
- A specific description of the duty, movement, event, or exposure connected to the condition.
- The body part or medical condition affected and when symptoms began.
- Witness information, incident reports, position descriptions, schedules, or exposure records when available.
- The dates of medical care, diagnostic testing, work restrictions, and time lost from work.
- Copies of every form and document submitted to the agency or OWCP.
Accurate facts matter. Current 20 CFR 10.115 requires reliable evidence of timeliness, federal employment status, the occurrence of the injury or disease, performance of duty, and a causal relationship between the diagnosed condition and the claimed employment factors.
What should the medical record address?
Current 20 CFR 10.330 says a medical report should include examination and treatment dates, the employee’s history, physical findings, diagnostic results, diagnosis, treatment, the physician’s medically reasoned causal opinion, work disability when relevant, and prognosis.
The physician should work from an accurate account of the incident or exposure. A report that only repeats the employee’s belief that work caused the condition does not substitute for medical reasoning.
How NuThera supports medical documentation
NuThera provides clinical evaluation and documentation for the care it delivers. The clinical team can document the reported work history, examination findings, diagnosis, treatment plan, work capacity, and an independent medical opinion when supported by the evaluation. NuThera does not decide FECA eligibility or provide individualized legal advice.
Sources
- Form CA-10, What A Federal Employee Should Do When Injured At Work — U.S. Department of Labor, revised October 2021; accessed September 24, 2026: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/owcp/regs/compliance/ca-10.pdf
- 20 CFR 10.100–10.101 and 10.115 — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations; Title 20 up to date September 22, 2026 and last amended September 16, 2026; accessed September 24, 2026: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B
- 20 CFR 10.200 and 10.205–10.211 — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations; accessed September 24, 2026: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-C
- 20 CFR 10.300–10.301, 10.316, and 10.330–10.331 — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations; accessed September 24, 2026: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-D
This article is educational and does not provide individualized medical, legal, or benefits advice.
Keep exploring.
- NuThera OWCP resource center
Federal workers’ compensation care and education.
- OWCP forms directory
Official DOL form links and plain-language guides.
- CA-1 vs. CA-2 guide
Understand which notice form matches how the condition developed.
- NuThera — Las Vegas
OWCP-focused care at the Rainbow Boulevard clinic.
- NuThera — North Las Vegas
OWCP-focused care at the North Las Vegas clinic.
Common questions.
What is OWCP Form CA-10 used for?
CA-10 is a Department of Labor information sheet that summarizes what a federal employee should do after a job-related injury or illness. It points the employee toward reporting, medical care, and the appropriate written notice form.
Is CA-10 a claim form?
No. CA-10 is guidance. Form CA-1 is generally used for a traumatic injury, while Form CA-2 is generally used for an occupational disease.
Does CA-10 replace Form CA-1 or CA-2?
No. CA-10 does not replace the notice that starts the applicable FECA claim process. The employee must use the form that matches how the condition occurred.
When is Form CA-1 used?
CA-1 is used for a traumatic injury connected to a specific event or incident, or a series of events or incidents, within one workday or shift.
When is Form CA-2 used?
CA-2 is used for an occupational disease attributed to work factors or exposure over more than one workday or shift.
Does the three-year notice rule mean I can wait to report an injury?
No. CA-10 says to report a job-related injury as soon as possible, and some benefits have shorter requirements. For example, COP eligibility generally requires Form CA-1 within 30 days for a qualifying traumatic injury.