# OWCP Faces Claims Examiner Workload Strain

A community discussion about the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) describes claims examiner roles as relatively well paid but high-volume and reportedly understaffed. One commenter who moved from the Social Security Administration (SSA) said they entered DOL at GS-12. Commenters also said current examiners work remotely but were uncertain whether that arrangement applies to new hires; workload and management conditions may vary by office and claims area. The signal does not identify a solicitation, contract action, funding decision, or vendor, so it indicates no specific procurement opportunity.

- For procurement teams supporting claims administration, the reported workload and staffing pressure may be useful context for market research, but the discussion does not establish a DOL requirement for contractor support.
- The reported remote-work arrangement is not confirmed for new hires; it should not be treated as a stated contract requirement or agency-wide policy.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Published:** October 06, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
- Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP)
- Social Security Administration (SSA)

### Key Quotes
> Workload is high and relentless. Current claims examiners are remote, which mitigates a lot of the stress. Not sure how that will work with new staff. Pay is pretty good. I switched from SSA to DOL and came in as a GS12.
> — Community commenter

### Sources
- [How is Dept of Labor?](https://www.reddit.com/r/FedEmployees/comments/1wz8qyx/how_is_dept_of_labor) - reddit-fedemployees