Years of wage-loss occurring prior to normal retirement age that are the result of a covered illness contracted by a covered Part E employee through work-related exposure to a toxic substance at a Department of Energy facility or a RECA section 5 facility, as appropriate, may be compensable under Part E of the Act. Whether years of wage-loss are compensable depends on determinations with respect to:
(a) The average annual wage of the employee as determined by OWCP in accordance with Sec. 30.810;
(b) The percentage of his or her average annual wage that the employee was able to earn during the calendar year(s) in question as determined by OWCP in accordance with Sec. 30.811; and
(c) Whether the employee's inability to earn at least as much as his or her average annual wage was due to a covered illness as defined in Sec. 30.5(r).