COMDTINST 12550.21A
5. COVERAGE. The Coast Guard will pay up to ,000 in death gratuity, subtracting out any
payments authorized by the Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
(OWCP) under 5 U.S.C. 8133(f) and 5 U.S.C. 8134(a).
6. DEATH GRATUITY.
a. Payments will be made to the personal representative of any Coast Guard civilian employee or
Coast Guard Auxiliary member. Generally the representative will be a formally designated
executor or administrator of an employee or member's estate under state law.
b. Approved Cases by OWCP: A gratuity is paid in cases where OWCP finds the former civilian
employee or Auxiliary member died as a result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty.
Traumatic injury is typically defined as a wound or other condition of the body caused by
external force. A detailed discussion of traumatic injury may be found in OWCP's Injury
Compensation for Federal Employees Handbook, publication CA-810.
c. Disapproved Cases by OWCP: A gratuity will not be paid where OWCP disapproves a death
claim due to OWCP factors other than statutory time limits under the Federal Employees'
Compensation Act (FECA).
d. Unfiled OWCP Claim: Generally, a gratuity will not be paid. Exceptions are:
(1) In rare cases where survivors have chosen not to file a claim with OWCP within 3 years of
death, up to ,000 may be payable if it is determined the death meets OWCP's acceptance
standards. The survivors would be encouraged to file for the additional OWCP benefits.
(2) Where the claim for death benefits has been rejected by OWCP for timeliness and it is later
determined the death meets OWCP's acceptability standards, a ,000 death benefit may be
paid to the personal representative of the estate.
e. Exclusions:
(1) Active duty military, personnel injured while serving in a reserve military capacity; and non-
appropriated fund civilians are excluded from payment under this Instruction.
(2) If either the Coast Guard or OWCP determines the death of the employee or Auxiliary
member was the result of willful misconduct, a death gratuity shall not be paid. Willful
misconduct criteria is defined in OWCP guidance and outlined in their Injury Compensation
for Federal Employees Handbook (CA-810). Under this criteria, if Coast Guard or OWCP
determine the employee caused death or injury to himself, herself, or another, or that
intoxication caused the injury, payment of a death gratuity benefit will not be authorized.
7. RESPONSIBILITIES.
a. Civilians The Office of Civilian Personnel is responsible for preparing the paperwork required
to process the death gratuity payment and for corresponding with the personal representative of
the estate. Action taken to process a claim is annotated on Form CG-6023 Death Gratuity
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