💪 Empowering Active Seniors

💔 Injured Postal Workers Deserve Better — Help Me Rebuild!

The Postal Service broke me; they need to fix me. 

I dedicated five years of service to the United States Postal Service, meeting the demanding physical requirements of the job. In 2022, I suffered a serious workplace injury involving a concussion and cervical spine damage. Despite medical documentation, management and even union representatives repeatedly dismissed my injury as “just a little bump on the head.”

In late 2024, after experiencing syncope episodes related to my injury, management began treating my absences as misconduct. My badge access stopped working, and despite reporting the malfunction, it was never fixed. For nearly six months I had to use unsafe methods to enter the building just to report for duty.

By 2025, further medical testing revealed additional cervical spine damage, three herniated discs in my lumbar spine, and a possible rotator cuff injury. My physician provided restrictions, but USPS management refused to accept them, claiming they were “too vague” and expected me to perform full duty. This caused more flare-ups, more missed work, and more write-ups for missing work. USPS demanded fitness‑for‑duty information before I could request light duty or job reassignment. My MRI hadn't even been performed yet. Without imaging, my physician could not safely determine what I could do in an 8–12 hour shift. Management and union officials even suggested I “self‑assess” my abilities — for example, if I could lift a gallon of milk, I should record that as a two‑pound lifting capacity.

My physician refused to sign such a form, correctly warning that self‑assessments could worsen injuries and jeopardize my workers’ compensation case. A proper Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) by a licensed physical or occupational therapist was required, but the $2,000 cost was not covered by USPS or OWCP. I certainly didn't have $2,000 to cover the costs. This violated the Department of Labor’s standards, which require employers and/or OWCP to provide medically necessary evaluations for workplace injuries. Instead, I had to undergo months of physical therapy just to obtain acceptable restrictions through my insurance.

Despite following medical advice and pursuing treatment, USPS terminated me for “misconduct” due to absences — absences directly tied to my workplace injuries and ongoing medical restrictions.

⚖️ Violations Highlighted

• Handbook / Policy Violations:

  • Failure to maintain safe workplace access (badge malfunction ignored).

  • Improperly treating medically documented absences as AWOL.

  • Pressuring employee to self‑assess capacity, contrary to USPS and Department of Labor standards.

• FECA (Federal Employees’ Compensation Act):

  • Refusal to honor medical restrictions tied to an accepted workplace injury.

  • Failure to pay for medically necessary FCE testing.

  • Termination for absences directly related to an accepted injury claim.

• ADA / Rehabilitation Act:

  • Failure to provide reasonable accommodation for documented medical restrictions.

  • Discrimination and retaliation based on disability (terminating while medical evaluation was pending).

📖 Takeaway

This isn’t just a personal hardship — it’s a case of wrongful termination, denial of medical rights, and disregard for federal protections. By refusing to accept medical restrictions, failing to provide required evaluations, and terminating me while I was under treatment, USPS violated its own handbook, FECA obligations, and ADA accommodation requirements.

🏗️ Systematic Problems Facing Injured Workers

• Delay & Deny Tactics: Workers’ compensation systems (including OWCP) often stall or deny claims, forcing injured employees to fight for months or years to get basic medical care approved.

• Pressure to Return Too Soon: Management frequently disregards medical restrictions, insisting employees resume “full duty” before doctors clear them. This can worsen injuries and create liability.

• Cost Barriers: Essential evaluations like Functional Capacity Exams (FCEs) are expensive, and employers/insurers often refuse to cover them, leaving workers stuck between unsafe work and unaffordable testing.

• Retaliation & Discipline: Absences tied to medical treatment are sometimes misclassified as “AWOL” or misconduct, leading to wrongful terminations.

• Dismissal of Injuries: Injuries are minimized or mocked (“just a bump on the head”), undermining both medical reality and employee dignity.

• Failure to Accommodate: Under the Rehabilitation Act/ADA, employers must provide reasonable accommodations. Yet many injured workers are denied light duty or reassignment, even when medically necessary.

For thousands of dedicated USPS employees, the fight for justice is not just about their jobs—it’s about their rights, dignity, and livelihoods. When workers face violations of the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or suffer wrongful terminations, they are thrust into a legal maze that can take years, sometimes decades, to navigate.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has faced multiple lawsuits and rulings related to both FECA (Federal Employees’ Compensation Act) and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) rights. Courts and the Department of Labor have found USPS liable in several cases where employees alleged retaliation after workplace injuries or disability discrimination. USPS have a history of failing injured employees. They protect underperforming staff while retaliating against those who get hurt picking up the slack. When someone gets injured, they try to silence us—through intimidation, delays, denials, and long legal battles. 

Why These Battles Are So Difficult

• Complex legal processes: The systems in place are often slow, bureaucratic, and stacked against employees, requiring endless paperwork, hearings, and appeals.

• Financial strain: Legal fees, lost wages, and medical costs can drain families of their savings, forcing many to abandon their claims simply because they cannot afford to continue.

• Emotional toll: Prolonged battles wear down morale, leaving employees feeling isolated, powerless, and pressured to give up.

• Institutional resistance: Agencies and employers often have vast resources to delay or deny claims, creating a system that feels designed to exhaust workers rather than protect them.

📊 Key Examples of Lawsuits and Rulings

🕊️ What This Shows

• FECA cases: USPS has been sued when employees claimed retaliation after filing for workers’ compensation. Courts often emphasize FECA as the exclusive remedy for workplace injuries, but retaliation claims have succeeded.

• ADA cases: USPS has repeatedly been challenged for failing to accommodate disabled employees or discriminating against them. Courts and the EEOC have ruled against USPS, requiring damages and corrective actions.

• Authority: These rulings highlight that federal courts, the Department of Labor, and the EEOC decide whether USPS violated employee rights—not USPS itself.

⚖️ Common Problems Workers Face with OWCP

The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Labor. Injured federal employees often struggle with the OWCP (Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs) process because it is bureaucratic, slow, and prone to denials. Delays in approving medical care, complex paperwork requirements, and inconsistent claim handling can leave workers waiting years for bills to be paid, which damages their credit and prolongs recovery.

OWCP is obligated under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) to ensure injured workers receive medically necessary treatment. But when access to care is blocked, the burden shifts to the employee—often with devastating consequences. There have been multiple lawsuits against the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for violating both the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), often involving retaliation, failure to accommodate, and disability discrimination.

There have been widespread complaints about OWCP delaying and denying workers’ compensation claims, with many injured federal employees frustrated by the lack of accountability due to sovereign immunity protections. In short, OWCP is shielded from lawsuits, and your only recourse as an injured employee is through the administrative appeals process—which can be slow, expensive, and frustrating.

🕊️ Why the OWCP Process Is So Challenging

• Complex paperwork: Employees must file the correct forms (CA-1 for traumatic injury, CA-2 for occupational illness) and provide detailed medical evidence. Any mistake or missing detail can stall or deny a claim.

• Communication Gaps: Employees struggle to get timely responses from claims examiners, leaving them in limbo about medical approvals or wage replacement.

• Delayed reporting: If an injury isn’t reported immediately, OWCP may question its legitimacy, leading to denial.

• Backlogs and staffing shortages: OWCP offices often face staffing gaps and rising claim volumes, creating long wait times for approvals.

• Medical treatment delays: Injured workers report waiting weeks, months, or even years for scans, surgeries, or therapy to be approved. This can turn treatable injuries into permanent disabilities.

• Delay & Deny Tactics: Claims often sit for months without decisions or are denied for technical reasons even when medical evidence is strong. Necessary tests (like MRIs or FCEs) and therapies are frequently delayed or denied, forcing workers to pay out of pocket or go without care.

• Appeals Process: First‑level appeals can take months, and many workers feel the system is stacked against them, requiring persistence and legal support to succeed. Federal attorneys do not generally work on contingency leaving the burden on the injured employee.

• Lost paperwork and miscommunication: Claims can be overlooked or delayed due to administrative errors, leaving employees without coverage.

• Financial impact: Because OWCP can take years to pay medical bills, employees often face collections, damaged credit scores, and financial stress. 

• Employer Pressure: While OWCP is slow to approve restrictions, employers sometimes treat absences as misconduct, punishing workers for following medical advice.

The OWCP system is meant to protect injured federal employees, but its complexity and inefficiency often harm them instead. Workers face delayed care, financial hardship, emotional stress, and even termination of employment while navigating a process that can feel adversarial. Many rely on union support, legal counsel, or specialized OWCP doctors to push claims forward.

OWCP is protected by sovereign immunity, which means:

• You cannot sue OWCP for denying or mishandling a case unless Congress has explicitly waived immunity.

• The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) is the exclusive remedy for federal workers injured on the job. It bars lawsuits against the government for work-related injuries—even if OWCP mishandles the case.

• Courts have consistently ruled that OWCP decisions are final and not subject to judicial review, except in very narrow circumstances (e.g., constitutional violations).

I am challenging my wrongful termination from the USPS Springfield, IL Cook Street facility. However, it is not going to be easy.  For years, I raised concerns about unsafe workload distribution and the impact of underperforming employees on operations. These warnings were ignored. Eventually, the lack of accountability led to multiple workplace injuries—not just for me, but for others who were forced to absorb the consequences of a toxic work environment. Those who show up and work hard are often unsupported, while those who underperform are shielded, and in many cases - promoted. This imbalance has real consequences: flare-ups, lost time, and financial devastation.

⚖️ What Injured Postal Workers Face

I’m not alone. Across the country, injured postal employees face:

• Delayed or denied medical care

• Retaliation for reporting unsafe conditions

• Lack of access to specialists

• Financial ruin due to lost wages and stalled claims

• Isolation and abandonment by their agencies

Why I Need Your Help

I cannot fight this battle alone. The USPS and the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) have left me completely financially destitute. What should have been a system designed to protect injured workers has instead drained me of resources, hope, and stability. The legal processes surrounding FECA and ADA claims are deliberately slow and complex. They are designed to wear down employees until they give up or run out of money. For someone like me—already injured and unable to work—the system feels less like justice and more like punishment.

The Reality of the System

After exhausting every internal channel—light duty requests, medical documentation—filing union grievances-launching EEOC, NLRB complaints-I’ve even reached out to our state representatives and senators in attempts to obtain advocacy in my OWCP case. Sovereign immunity should not apply if OWCP mishandles an injured employee's case just because they can get away with it without repercussion. I am to the point where I must ask for help publicly. I am not out doing this out of hostility, but out of necessity — to protect my health, my rights, integrity of the workplace, and for the rights of other federal injured employees.

The Impact of My Injuries

• Cervical spine injuries have left me with chronic pain and physical limitations that make many jobs impossible.

• Lost career opportunities: Decades of hard work and dedication have been stripped away, leaving me with limited prospects for the future.

• Financial devastation: Without fair compensation or support, I’ve been forced into a position where even basic survival is a struggle.

💡 Ideas and Solutions to Overcome the Situation

I am attempting to pull myself up by my bootstraps and wash my hands of the entire situation. I will keep battling USPS and OWCP on general principal alone but make sure that I move on. I am attempting to launch Immersive Games and Events or whatever name I may end up calling it. A vision to bring affordable family fun to Springfield, Illinois and surrounding areas. It’s a way to rebuild my life, contribute to my community, and create something positive out of this struggle. But I can’t do it alone since USPS and OWCP have left me completely financially destitute. Due to the injuries, they've also left me with limited job prospects or taken career opportunities away from me. I need help. 

🙌 How You Can Help

🤝 Business Sponsorships: Make a Local Impact

Local businesses can make a difference by sponsoring teams for underprivileged children to participate in:

• Population One VR tournaments

• Mixed Reality Laser Tag using Meta Quest headsets

Sponsorships cover equipment, entry fees, and mentorship opportunities—giving kids a chance to play, compete, and grow in a safe, supportive environment. Your brand will be featured at events, on team gear, and across our promotional channels. It’s a win-win: support your community and gain visibility with local families.

🎮 Pre-Purchase Gaming Memberships & Sponsorship Opportunities

Immersive Games and Events is more than just entertainment—it’s a community-driven initiative to bring affordable, inclusive fun to Springfield and surrounding areas. Whether you're a gamer, a parent, or a local business, there's a way for you to get involved.

🕹️ Gaming Memberships for All Generations

We offer pre-purchase membership packages designed for every age group and skill level:

• Youth & Teen Packages: Safe, supervised gameplay with age-appropriate challenges

• Family Bundles: Multi-player access for parents and kids to play together

• Adult & Competitive Tiers: Advanced access to tournaments, VR experiences, and exclusive events

• Senior-Friendly Options: Light-paced games and social events tailored for older adults

Pre-purchasing a membership helps us launch faster—and gives you priority access to our most exciting experiences.

🤝 Support the Mission

Help me launch Immersive Games and Events by:

• Donating equipment or supplies

• Connecting me with local venues or sponsors

• Volunteering time or skills

💸 Donate

Every contribution helps cover basic living expenses, medical costs, legal expenses, and startup funding for Immersive Games and Events.

📢 Share My Story

Spread the word on social media, in your community, or with anyone who believes in fairness, accountability, and second chances. Awareness is powerful.

🧠 Offer Expertise

If you’re a legal professional, medical provider, or business mentor familiar with federal workers’ compensation, your guidance could be invaluable.

For non-monetary donations or legal expertise, please email me at: rothenberg.jerry@gmail.com