Corps under subsection (a) of this section. However, for the purpose of the computation described in subsection (a)(1) of this section, the monthly pay of a volunteer is deemed that received at the minimum rate for GS-5 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.

§ 8143a. Members of the National Teacher Corps

Subject to the provisions of this section, this subchapter applies to a member of the National Teacher Corps. In administering this subchapter for a member covered by this section

(1) "performance of duty" does not include an act of a member while

(A) on authorized leave; or

(B) absent from his assigned post of duty, except while participating in an activity authorized by or under the direction or supervision of the Commissioner of Education; and

(2) In computing compensation for disability or death, the monthly pay of a member is deemed his actual pay or that received at the minimum rate for GS-6, whichever is greater.

§ 8144. Student-employees

A student-employee as defined by section 5351 of this title who suffers disability or death as a result of personal injury arising out of and in the course of training, or incurred in the performance of duties in connection with that training, is considered for the purpose of this subchapter an employee who incurred the injury in the performance of duty.

§8145. Administration

The Secretary of Labor shall administer, and decide all questions arising under, this subchapter. He may

(1) appoint employees to administer this subchapter; and (2) delegate to any employee of the Department of Labor any of the powers conferred on him by this subchapter.

§ 8146. Administration for the Panama Canal Commission and The Alaska Railroad

(a) The President, from time to time, may transfer the administration of this subchapter

(1) so far as employees of the Panama Canal Commission are concerned to the Commission; and

(2) so far as employees of The Alaska Railroad are concerned to the general manager of The Alaska Railroad.

(b) When administration is transferred under subsection (a) of this section, the expenses incident to physical examinations which are payable under section 8123 of this title shall be paid from appropriations for the Panama Canal Commission or for The Alaska Railroad, as the case may be, instead of from the Employees' Compensation Fund. The President may authorize the Panama Canal Commission and the general manager of The Alaska Railroad to pay the compensation provided by this subchapter, including medical, surgical, and hospital services and supplies under section 8103 of this title and the transportation and burial expenses under sec

tions 8103 and 8134 of this title, from appropriations for the Panama Canal Commission and for The Alaska Railroad, and these appropriations shall be reimbursed for the payments by transfer of funds from the Employees' Compensation Fund.

(c) The President may authorize the Panama Canal Commission to waive, at its discretion, the making of the claim required by section 8121 of this title in the case of compensation to an employee of the Panama Canal Commission for temporary disability, either total or partial.

(d) When administration is transferred under subsection (a) of this section to the general manager of The Alaska Railroad, the Secretary of Labor is not divested of jurisdiction and a claimant is entitled to appeal from the decision of the general manager of The Alaska Railroad to the Secretary of Labor. The Secretary on receipt of an appeal shall, or on his own motion may, review the decision of the general manager of The Alaska Railroad, and in accordance with the facts found on review may proceed under section 8128 of this title. The Secretary shall provide the form and manner of taking an appeal.

(e) The same right of appeal exists with respect to claims filed by employees of the Panama Canal Commission or their dependents in case of death, as is provided with respect to the claims of other employees to whom this subchapter applies, under section 8149 of this title. The Employees' Compensation Appeals Board referred to by section 8149 of this title has jurisdiction, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, over appeals relating to claims of the employees or their dependents.

§ 8146a. Cost-of-living adjustment of compensation

(a) Compensation payable on account of disability or death which occurred more than one year before March 1 of each year shall be annually increased on that date by the amount determined by the Secretary of Labor to represent the percent change in the price index published for December of the preceding year over the price index published for the December of the year prior to the preceding year, adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of 1 percent.

(b) The regular periodic compensation payments after adjustment under this section shall be fixed at the nearest dollar. However, the regular periodic compensation after adjustment shall reflect an increase of at least $1.

(c) This section shall be applicable to persons excluded by section 15 of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act Amendments of 1966 (Public Law 89-488) under the following statutes: Act of February 15, 1934 (48 Stat. 351); Act of June 26, 1936 (49 Stat. 2035); Act of April 8, 1935 (49 Stat. 115); Act of July 25, 1942 (56 Stat. 710); Public Law 84-955 (August 3, 1956); Public Law 77-784 (December 2, 1942); Public Law 84-879 (August 1, 1956); Public Law 80-896 (July 3, 1948); Act of September 8, 1959 (73 Stat. 469). Benefit payments to these persons shall initially be increased by the total percentage of the increases in the price index from the base month of July 1966, to the next most recent base month following the effective date of this subsection.

§ 8147. Employees' Compensation Fund

(a) There is in the Treasury of the United States the Employees' Compensation Fund which consists of sums that Congress, from time to time, may appropriate for or transfer to it, and amounts that otherwise accrue to it under this subchapter or other statute. The Fund is available without time limit for the payment of compensation and other benefits and expenses, except administrative expenses, authorized by this subchapter or any extension or application thereof, except as otherwise provided by this subchapter or other statute. The Secretary of Labor shall submit annually to the Office of Management and Budget estimates of appropriations necessary for the maintenance of the Fund. For the purpose of this subsection, "administrative expenses" does not include expenses for legal services performed by or for the Secretary under sections 8131 and 8132 of this title.

(b) Before August 15 of each year, the Secretary shall furnish to each agency and instrumentality of the United States having an employee who is or may be entitled to compensation benefits under this subchapter or any extension or application thereof a statement showing the total cost of benefits and other payments made from the Employees' Compensation Fund during the preceding July 1 through June 30 expense period on account of the injury or death of employees or individuals under the jurisdiction of the agency or instrumentality. Each agency and instrumentality shall include in its annual budget estimates for the fiscal year beginning in the next calendar year a request for an appropriation in an amount equal to the costs. Sums appropriated pursuant to the request shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of the Fund within 30 days after they are available. An agency or instrumentality not dependent on an annual appropriation shall make the deposit required by this subsection from funds under its control during the first fifteen days of October following the furnishing of the statement. If an agency or instrumentality (or part or function thereof) is transferred to another agency or instrumentality, the cost of compensation benefits and other expenses paid from the Fund on account of the injury or death of employees of the transferred agency or instrumentality (or part or function) shall be included in costs of the receiving agency or instrumentality.

(c) In addition to the contributions for the maintenance of the Employees' Compensation Fund required by this section, the United States Postal Service, or a mixed ownership corporation as defined by section 9101(2) of title 31, or any other corporation or agency or instrumentality (or activity thereof) which is required by statute to submit an annual budget pursuant to or as provided by chapter 91 of title 31, shall pay an additional amount for its fair share of the cost of administration of this subchapter as determined by the Secretary. With respect to these corporations, agencies, and instrumentalities, the charges billed by the Secretary under this section shall include an additional amount for these costs, which shall be paid into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts from the sources authorized and in the manner otherwise provided by this section.

§ 8148. Forfeiture of benefits by convicted felons

(a) Any individual convicted of a violation of section 1920 of title 18, or any other Federal or State criminal statute relating to fraud in the application for or receipt of any benefit under this subchapter or subchapter III of this chapter, shall forfeit (as of the date of such conviction) any entitlement to any benefit such individual would otherwise be entitled to under this subchapter or subchapter III for any injury occurring on or before the date of such conviction. Such forfeiture shall be in addition to any action the Secretary may take under section 8106 or 8129.

(b)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter (except as provided under paragraph (3)), no benefits under this subchapter or subchapter III of this chapter shall be paid or provided to any individual during any period during which such individual is confined in a jail, prison, or other penal institution or correctional facility, pursuant to that individual's conviction of an offense that constituted a felony under applicable law.

(2) Such individual shall not be entitled to receive the benefits forfeited during the period of incarceration under paragraph (1), after such period of incarceration ends.

(3) If an individual has one or more dependents as defined under section 8110(a), the Secretary of Labor may, during the period of incarceration, pay to such dependents a percentage of the benefits that would have been payable to such individual computed according to the percentages set forth in section 8133(a) (1) through (5).

(c) Notwithstanding the provision of section 552a of this title, or any other provision of Federal or State law, any agency of the United States Government or of any State (or political subdivision thereof) shall make available to the Secretary of Labor, upon written request, the names and Social Security account numbers of individuals who are confined in a jail, prison, or other penal institution or correctional facility under the jurisdiction of such agency, pursuant to such individuals' conviction of an offense that constituted a felony under applicable law, which the Secretary of Labor may require to carry out the provisions of this section.

§ 8149. Regulations

The Secretary of Labor may prescribe rules and regulations necessary for the administration and enforcement of this subchapter including rules and regulations for the conduct of hearings under section 8124 of this title. The rules and regulations shall provide for an Employee's Compensation Appeals Board of three individuals designated or appointed by the Secretary with authority to hear and, subject to applicable law and the rules and regulations of the Secretary, make final decisions on appeals taken from determinations and awards with respect to claims of employees. In adjudicating claims under section 8146 of this title, the Secretary may determine the nature and extent of the proof and evidence required to establish the right to benefits under this subchapter without regard to the date of injury or death for which claim is made.

§ 8150. Effect on other statutes

(a) This subchapter does not affect the maritime rights and remedies of a master or member of the crew of a vessel.

(b) Section 8141 of this title and section 9441 of title 10 do not confer military or veteran status on any individual.

§ 8151. Civil service retention rights

(a) In the event the individual resumes employment with the Federal Government, the entire time during which the employee was receiving compensation under this chapter shall be credited to the employee for the purposes of within-grade step increases, retention purposes, and other rights and benefits based upon length of service.

(b) Under regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management

(1) the department or agency which was the last employer shall immediately and unconditionally accord the employee, if the injury or disability has been overcome within one year after the date of commencement of compensation or from the time compensable disability recurs if the recurrence begins after the injured employee resumes regular full-time employment with the United States, the right to resume his former or an equivalent position, as well as all other attendant rights which the employee would have had, or acquired, in his former position had he not been injured or disabled, including the rights to tenure, promotion, and safeguards in reductions-inforce procedures, and

(2) the department or agency which was the last employer shall, if the injury or disability is overcome within a period of more than one year after the date of commencement of compensation, make all reasonable efforts to place, and accord priority to placing, the employee in his former or equivalent position within such department or agency, or within any other department or agency.

§ 8152. Annual report

The Secretary of Labor shall, at the end of each fiscal year, prepare a report with respect to the administration of this chapter. Such report shall be submitted to Congress in accordance with the requirement with respect to submission under section 42 of the Longshore Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (33 U.S.C. 942).