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Title 20

Displaying title 20, up to date as of 10/08/2026. Title 20 was last amended 9/30/2026.
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Survivors

§ 30.500 What special statutory definitions apply to survivors under EEOICPA?

(a) For the purposes of paying compensation to survivors under both Parts B and E of EEOICPA, OWCP will use the following definitions:

(1) Surviving spouse means the wife or husband of a deceased covered Part B employee or deceased covered Part E employee who was married to that individual for the 365 consecutive days immediately prior to the death of that individual.

(2) Child of a deceased covered Part B employee or deceased covered Part E employee means only a biological child, a stepchild or an adopted child of that individual.

(b) For the purposes of paying compensation to survivors only under Part B of EEOICPA, OWCP will use the following additional definitions:

(1) Parent includes fathers and mothers of a deceased covered Part B employee through adoption.

(2) Grandchild means a child of a child of a deceased covered Part B employee.

(3) Grandparent means a parent of a parent of a deceased covered Part B employee.

(c) For the purposes of paying compensation to survivors under Part E of EEOICPA, OWCP will use the following additional definitions:

(1) Covered child means a child that is, as of the date of the deceased covered Part E employee's death, either under the age of 18 years, or under the age of 23 years and a full-time student who was continuously enrolled in one or more educational institutions since attaining the age of 18 years, or any age and incapable of self-support. A child's marital status or dependency on the covered employee for support is irrelevant to his or her eligibility for benefits as a covered child under Part E.

(2) Incapable of self-support means that the child must have been physically and/or mentally incapable of self-support at the time of the covered employee's death.

[71 FR 78534, Dec. 29, 2006, as amended at 84 FR 3052, Feb. 8, 2019]

§ 30.501 What order of precedence will OWCP use to determine which survivors are entitled to receive compensation under EEOICPA?

(a) Under Part B of the Act, if OWCP determines that a survivor or survivors are entitled to receive compensation under EEOICPA because a covered Part B employee who would otherwise have been entitled to benefits is deceased, that compensation will be disbursed as follows, subject to the qualifications set forth in § 30.5(hh)(3):

(1) If there is a surviving spouse, the compensation shall be paid to that individual.

(2) If there is no surviving spouse, the compensation shall be paid in equal shares to all children of the deceased covered Part B employee.

(3) If there is no surviving spouse and no children, the compensation shall be paid in equal shares to the parents of the deceased covered Part B employee.

(4) If there is no surviving spouse, no children and no parents, the compensation shall be paid in equal shares to all grandchildren of the deceased covered Part B employee.

(5) If there is no surviving spouse, no children, no parents and no grandchildren, the compensation shall be paid in equal shares to the grandparents of the deceased covered Part B employee.

(6) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section, if there is a surviving spouse and at least one child of the deceased covered Part B employee who is a minor at the time of payment and who is not a recognized natural child or adopted child of such surviving spouse, half of the compensation shall be paid to the surviving spouse, and the other half of the compensation shall be paid in equal shares to each child of the deceased covered Part B employee who is a minor at the time of payment.

(b) Under Part E of the Act, if OWCP determines that a survivor or survivors are entitled to receive compensation under EEOICPA because a covered Part E employee who would otherwise have been entitled to benefits is deceased, that compensation will be disbursed as follows, subject to the qualifications set forth in § 30.5(hh)(3):

(1) If there is a surviving spouse, the compensation shall be paid to that individual.

(2) If there is no surviving spouse, the compensation shall be paid in equal shares to all “covered” children of the deceased covered Part E employee.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section, if there is a surviving spouse and at least one “covered” child of the deceased covered Part E employee who is living at the time of payment and who is not a recognized natural child or adopted child of such surviving spouse, then half of such payment shall be made to such surviving spouse, and the other half of such payment shall be made in equal shares to each “covered” child of the employee who is living at the time of payment.

[71 FR 78534, Dec. 29, 2006, as amended at 84 FR 3052, Feb. 8, 2019]

§ 30.502 When is entitlement for survivors determined for purposes of EEOICPA?

Entitlement to any lump-sum payment for survivors under the EEOICPA, other than for “covered” children under Part E, will be determined as of the time OWCP makes such a payment. As noted in § 30.500(c)(1), a child of a deceased Part E employee will only qualify as a “covered” child of that individual if he or she satisfied one of the additional statutory criteria for a “covered” child as of the date of the deceased Part E employee's death.

[84 FR 3053, Feb. 8, 2019]