Continuation of Pay (COP) definition
Continuation of Pay (COP), a provision of FECA, provides up to 45 days of regular pay for federal workers unable to work after a traumatic injury.
Published Feb 18, 2026by the USAFacts team
Continuation of Pay (COP) is a benefit for employees who experience a traumatic injury while working for the government. COP continues the employee’s regular pay for up to 45 days while they are unable to work, as confirmed by an incident report and doctor’s evaluation.
COP is part of the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), which is the government’s workers’ compensation program. The act provides disability, survivor, and medical benefits to employees injured or made ill on the job, regardless of fault, and to survivors of people who died at work.
Federal employment
As of January 2026, 1.7% of jobs in the US were in the federal government.
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