An OWCP claim number—also called a FECA case number—is assigned after OWCP creates the case. If a claim was filed electronically, the number appears on the employee’s ECOMP dashboard after case creation. OWCP also mails the injured worker a letter containing the claim number and basic benefit information. Keep the number private and use it when accessing the case, uploading claim documents, or contacting the OWCP office that services the claim.
What is an OWCP claim number?
An OWCP claim number is the identifier the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs assigns to a federal employee’s FECA case. The Department of Labor also calls it the “official FECA case number” or simply the “case number.”
The number identifies an established case. It is not the same as a Social Security number, an agency incident number, a medical-record number, or an ECOMP account login.
When does OWCP assign the number?
OWCP assigns the number after it receives the claim and creates a case. Filing a CA-1 or CA-2 starts the submission process, but the official case number may not appear until case creation is complete.
The Department of Labor’s FECA frequently asked questions say that an injured worker who filed electronically can see the claim number on the ECOMP employee dashboard once a case has been created.
Where can you find the FECA case number?
Check the ECOMP employee dashboard
If the claim was filed electronically, sign in to the official ECOMP site and review the employee dashboard. The claim number should appear after OWCP creates the case.
Check the letter mailed by OWCP
When a case is created, OWCP mails the injured worker a letter containing the claim number and basic information about available benefits. Keep the notice with the claim records.
Contact the OWCP office that services the claim
If the number is not available in ECOMP or the mailed letter cannot be found, the Department of Labor says the injured worker may call the office with jurisdiction over the claim. OWCP may request identity and claim details before releasing the number.
Do not send a Social Security number, date of birth, medical records, or other sensitive claim information through ordinary email or an unsecured website form.
What can the claim number be used for?
The official case number connects later activity to the correct OWCP file. Depending on the task and the instructions shown in ECOMP or an OWCP notice, it may be used to:
- Access an established case in ECOMP
- Check available case or claim-status information
- Upload correspondence or supporting documents to the correct case
- Identify the case when contacting the OWCP office
- Help a treating provider or authorized representative match records to the correct claim
The claim number does not prove that OWCP accepted the claim, authorized a particular service, or approved payment. Those decisions are communicated separately.
Is the OWCP claim number the same as an ECOMP account?
No. An ECOMP account is the user account used to sign in to the Department of Labor’s electronic system. The FECA case number identifies a specific claim after OWCP creates the case. One person may have an ECOMP account associated with more than one case.
Is it the same as an agency incident number?
Not necessarily. A federal agency may create its own incident, safety, or internal tracking number. That identifier may help the agency manage its records, but it does not replace the official FECA case number assigned by OWCP.
When a form or notice asks for the OWCP case number, use the number shown by OWCP rather than assuming an agency tracking number is interchangeable.
How should the number appear on submitted documents?
Follow the instructions in ECOMP or the OWCP notice for the specific submission. The Department of Labor’s injured-worker guidance says routine correspondence, medical reports, and other documentation uploaded to an established case require the case number and identifying information.
Before submitting anything, confirm that the number belongs to the correct person and case. Keep a complete copy of what was submitted and any available confirmation.
What if the claim number does not appear yet?
First confirm that the claim was actually submitted and that ECOMP shows the expected filing activity. A submission confirmation is useful evidence that a filing was transmitted, but it is not a substitute for the official case number.
If the case has not yet been created, continue following the official instructions associated with the filing. If the case should already exist or an OWCP notice is missing, contact the OWCP office that services the claim through the official Department of Labor contact information.
How NuThera uses the number
A healthcare provider may need the correct OWCP case number to associate medical documentation or billing records with the right federal workers’ compensation case. Providing the number does not authorize treatment or guarantee payment; eligibility, authorization, acceptance, and payment decisions remain with OWCP and its systems.
Sources
- Federal Employees’ Compensation Act — Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Department of Labor; publication date not listed; accessed October 12, 2026: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/fec-faq
- Information for Injured Workers and Their Representatives, U.S. Department of Labor; publication date not listed; accessed October 12, 2026: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/regs/compliance/infoinjuredwrkers
- ECOMP, U.S. Department of Labor; current web application; accessed October 12, 2026: https://www.ecomp.dol.gov/
This article is educational and does not provide individualized legal, claims, medical, billing, or benefits advice.
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Common questions.
How do I learn my OWCP claim number?
Check the ECOMP employee dashboard after the case is created or the case-creation letter mailed by OWCP. If neither is available, contact the OWCP office with jurisdiction over the claim using official Department of Labor contact information.
Is the claim number available immediately after filing?
Not always. The Department of Labor says the number appears in ECOMP once a case has been created. Keep the electronic submission confirmation while waiting for the official number.
Can my supervisor give me the official FECA case number?
An agency may be able to view claim information, but the authoritative number is the one assigned by OWCP and shown in ECOMP or OWCP correspondence.
Does receiving a claim number mean OWCP accepted the claim?
No. A claim number confirms that OWCP created a case. It does not by itself establish claim acceptance, treatment authorization, or payment approval.
Should I email my claim number and medical records to a clinic?
Use the secure method the clinic or OWCP designates for sensitive information. Do not send medical records, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive claim information through ordinary email or an unsecured contact form.