20 CFR § 30.513 - Under what circumstances may OWCP waive recovery of an overpayment?

(a) OWCP may consider waiving recovery of an overpayment only if the recipient was not at fault in accepting or creating the overpayment. Recipients of benefits paid under EEOICPA are responsible for taking all reasonable measures to ensure that payments received from OWCP are proper. The recipient must show good faith and exercise a high degree of care in reporting events which may affect entitlement to or the amount of benefits. A recipient who has done any of the following will be found to be at fault with respect to creating an overpayment:

(1) Made an incorrect statement as to a material fact which he or she knew or should have known to be incorrect; or

(2) Failed to provide information which he or she knew or should have known to be material; or

(3) Accepted a payment which he or she knew or should have known to be incorrect. (This provision applies only to the overpaid individual.)

(b) Whether or not OWCP determines that a recipient was at fault with respect to the creation of an overpayment depends on the circumstances surrounding the overpayment. The degree of care expected may vary with the complexity of those circumstances and the recipient's capacity to realize that he or she is being overpaid.