Federal workers’ compensation claims often get confusing at the very beginning, and one of the most common questions is simple: Is this a CA-1 or a CA-2?
That question matters because these two forms are used for different kinds of work-related harm under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), and the way a claim starts can affect how the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) reviews it. In general terms, CA-1 is used for a traumatic injury tied to a specific incident or activity during one work shift, while CA-2 is used for an occupational disease or illness that develops over more than one work shift. The Department of Labor’s ECOMP system and FECA regulations draw that line very clearly (DOL ECOMP, 20 C.F.R. § 10.110).
In this post you’ll learn how to tell the difference, what examples tend to fit each form, where people often get tripped up, and why the right legal guidance can matter if your agency or OWCP pushes back. If you want a broader overview of the federal claims system, this guide to how FECA, OWCP, and the main claim forms fit together gives useful background before diving into the form question.
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At a glance, CA-1 and CA-2 can look like just two versions of the same paperwork. They are not.
The Department of Labor lists Form CA-1 as the “Federal Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation” and Form CA-2 as the “Notice of Occupational Disease and Claim for Compensation” (DOL Forms). That difference is more than wording. It reflects two different claim categories under FECA.
A traumatic injury generally involves a condition resulting from an incident or activity occurring during one work shift. An occupational disease generally involves a condition resulting from incidents or exposures occurring over more than one work shift (DOL ECOMP). Federal agency guidance and FECA training materials repeat the same framework: one shift points toward CA-1; repeated exposure or cumulative strain over time points toward CA-2 (DOJ Guide, NIH Supervisor Training).
That classification can affect issues such as:
So while the form question sounds technical, it often becomes one of the first forks in the road.
Form CA-1 is generally used when the injury happened during a single workday or shift.
The Department of Labor’s ECOMP filing instructions say it plainly: CA-1 is used for a traumatic injury, defined as a medical condition resulting from an incident or activity occurring during one work shift (DOL ECOMP).