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Title 5, Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-102

§8148 Forfeiture of Benefits by Convicted Felons

Title 5 › PART III — EMPLOYEES › Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities › CHAPTER 81 — COMPENSATION FOR WORK INJURIES › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERALLY › § 8148

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

If a person is convicted of a crime for fraud in applying for or getting these federal benefits, they lose any right to benefits for injuries that happened on or before the date of conviction. This loss is in addition to any other penalties the Secretary may impose. Anyone serving time in jail or prison because of a felony cannot get benefits while confined and cannot claim the missed benefits after release. If the convicted person has dependents, the Secretary of Labor may pay those dependents a portion of the benefits during the incarceration, using the percentages listed in sections 8133(a)(1)–(5). Federal, state, and local agencies must give the Secretary, on written request, the names and Social Security numbers of people in custody for felony convictions, even if privacy rules would normally stop that.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §8148

Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(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.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 8148, Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 555, provided for a report to Congress by Secretary of Labor at beginning of each regular session covering work for preceding fiscal year under this subchapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 90–83, § 1(69), Sept. 11, 1967, 81 Stat. 213.

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–247 substituted “or receipt” for “a receipt”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 103–333, title I, § 101(c), Sept. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 2548, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [enacting this section and amending section 1920 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 30, 1994]. The

Amendments

made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall apply to claims filed before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act, and shall apply only to individuals convicted after such date of enactment.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 8148

Title 5, Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102