---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 8116"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "8116"
heading: "Limitations on right to receive compensation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/8116"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities"
  - "Chapter 81 — Compensation for Work Injuries"
  - "Subchapter I — Generally"
---

# §8116. Limitations on right to receive compensation

- (a) While an [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) is receiving [compensation](/usc/5/8101.md?p=12) under this subchapter, or if he has been paid a lump sum in commutation of installment payments until the expiration of the period during which the installment payments would have continued, he may not receive salary, [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4), or remuneration of any type from the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18), except—
  - (1) in return for [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) actually performed;
  - (2) pension for [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) in the Army, Navy, or Air Force;
  - (3) other benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs unless such benefits are payable for the same [injury](/usc/5/8101.md?p=5) or the same death; and
  - (4) retired [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4), retirement [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4), retainer [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4), or equivalent [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) for [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) in the Armed Forces or other uniformed [services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26).

  However, eligibility for or receipt of benefits under subchapter III of [chapter 83](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch83.md) of this title, or another retirement [system](/usc/5/8401.md?p=29) for [employees](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) of the [Government](/usc/5/4101.md?p=3), does not impair the right of the [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) to [compensation](/usc/5/8101.md?p=12) for scheduled disabilities specified by [section 8107(c) of this title](/usc/5/8107.md?p=c).

- (b) An individual entitled to benefits under this subchapter because of his [injury](/usc/5/8101.md?p=5), or because of the death of an [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1), who also is entitled to receive from the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) under a provision of statute other than this subchapter payments or benefits for that [injury](/usc/5/8101.md?p=5) or death (except proceeds of an insurance policy), because of [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) by him (or in the case of death, by the deceased) as an [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) or in the armed forces, shall elect which benefits he will receive. The individual shall make the election within 1 year after the [injury](/usc/5/8101.md?p=5) or death or within a further time allowed for good cause by the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of Labor. The election when made is irrevocable, except as otherwise provided by statute.
- (c) The liability of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) or an instrumentality thereof under this subchapter or any extension thereof with respect to the [injury](/usc/5/8101.md?p=5) or death of an [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) is exclusive and instead of all other liability of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) or the instrumentality to the [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1), his legal representative, spouse, [dependents](/usc/5/8951.md?p=2), next of kin, and any other [person](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-1) otherwise entitled to recover damages from the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) or the instrumentality because of the [injury](/usc/5/8101.md?p=5) or death in a direct judicial proceeding, in a civil action, or in admiralty, or by an administrative or judicial proceeding under a workmen’s [compensation](/usc/5/8101.md?p=12) statute or under a Federal tort liability statute. However, this subsection does not apply to a master or a [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) of a crew of a vessel.
- (d) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, an individual receiving benefits for disability or death under this subchapter who is also receiving benefits under subchapter III of [chapter 84](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch84.md) of this title or benefits under title II of the Social Security Act shall be entitled to all such benefits, except that—
  - (1) benefits received under section 223 of the Social Security Act (on [account](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) of disability) shall be subject to reduction on [account](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) of benefits paid under this subchapter pursuant to the provisions of section 224 of the Social Security Act; and
  - (2) in the case of benefits received on [account](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) of age or death under title II of the Social Security Act, [compensation](/usc/5/8101.md?p=12) payable under this subchapter based on the [Federal service](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-1) of an [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) shall be reduced by the amount of any such social security benefits payable that are attributable to [Federal service](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-1) of that [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) covered by [chapter 84](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch84.md) of this title. However, eligibility for or receipt of benefits under [chapter 84](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch84.md) of this title, or benefits under title II of the Social Security Act by virtue of [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) covered by [chapter 84](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch84.md) of this title, does not affect the right of the [employee](/usc/5/8101.md?p=1) to [compensation](/usc/5/8101.md?p=12) for scheduled disabilities specified by [section 8107(c) of this title](/usc/5/8107.md?p=c).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 542; Pub. L. 90–83, § 1(56), Sept. 11, 1967, 81 Stat. 210; Pub. L. 93–416, § 9(a), Sept. 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1145; Pub. L. 99–335, title II, § 207(e), June 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 595; Pub. L. 102–54, § 13(b)(1), June 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 274; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title X, § 1087(f)(3)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–293.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1966 Act |  |  |
| Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes and<br>Statutes at Large |
|  | 5 U.S.C. 757. | Sept. 7, 1916, ch. 458, § 7, 39 Stat. 743. |
|  |  | July 1, 1944, ch. 373, § 605(a), 58 Stat. 712. |
|  |  | Aug. 13, 1946, ch. 958, § 5, 60 Stat. 1049. |
|  |  | Oct. 14, 1949, ch. 691, § 201, 63 Stat. 861. |
|  |  | July 30, 1956, ch. 779, § 3(b), 70 Stat. 721. |
|  |  | Sept. 13, 1960, Pub. L. 86–767, § 202, 74 Stat. 907. |
|  |  | Sept. 4, 1964, Pub. L. 88–581, § 4(b), 78 Stat. 919. |

In subsection (a)(2), “Air Force” is added on authority of the Act of July 26, 1947, ch. 343, § 207(a), (f), 61 Stat. 502, and sections 8010—8013 of title 10, United States Code. This does not affect the operation of this subsection insofar as it concerns members of the Coast Guard whose pension is based in whole or in part on service with the Coast Guard when it operated as a part of the Navy.

In subsection (b), the reference to the definition of “employee” in former section 790 is omitted as unnecessary as the definition is included in section 8101 for the entire subchapter.

Administration of this subchapter was transferred to the Secretary of Labor by section 1 of 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 19, 64 Stat. 1271 (see section 8145).

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.


| 1967 Act |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Section of title 5 | Source (U.S.Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 8116(a) | 5 App.: 757(a). | July 4, 1966, Pub. L. 89–488, § 5(a), 80 Stat. 253. |

The words “another retirement system for employees of the Government” are substituted for “any other Federal Act or program providing retirement benefits for employees”.

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (d), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Title II of the Social Security Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 401 et seq.) of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Sections 223 and 224 are classified to sections 423 and 424a, respectively, of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.

### Amendments

2000—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 106–398 struck out “, subject to the reduction of such pay in accordance with section 5532(b) of title 5, United States Code” after “uniformed services”.

1991—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 102–54 substituted “Department of Veterans Affairs” for “Veterans’ Administration”.

1986—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–335 added subsec. (d).

1974—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–416 struck out “and” in cl. (1), substituted a semicolon for a period in cl. (2), and added cls. (3) and (4).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–335 effective Jan. 1, 1987, see section 702(a) of Pub. L. 99–335, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8401 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1974 Amendment

Pub. L. 93–416, § 9(b), Sept. 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1145, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall be effective with respect to disability or death occurring before or after the date of enactment of this Act [Sept. 7, 1974] and without regard to any election under section 8116(b) of the Act [subsec. (b) of this section]; but no payment shall be made by reason of such amendment for any period prior to the date of enactment of this Act.”

### Personnel Not Affected by 1967 Increase

Increases authorized under amendment by section 1(56) of Pub. L. 90–83 not applicable to specified personnel, see section 7 of Pub. L. 90–83, set out as a note under section 8103 of this title.