COP is payable for a maximum of 45 calendar days, and every day used is counted toward this maximum. The following rules apply:
(a) Time lost on the day or shift of the injury does not count toward COP. (Instead, the agency must keep the employee in a pay status for that period);
(b) The first COP day is the first day disability begins following the date of injury (providing it is within the 45 days following the date of injury), except where the injury occurs before the beginning of the work day or shift, in which case the date of injury is charged to COP;
(c) Any part of a day or shift (except for the day of the injury) counts as a full day toward the 45 calendar day total;
(d) Regular days off are included if COP has been used on the regular work days immediately preceding or following the regular day(s) off, and medical evidence supports disability; and
(e) Leave used during a period when COP is otherwise payable is counted toward the 45-day COP maximum as if the employee had been in a COP status.
(f) For employees with part-time or intermittent schedules, all calendar days on which medical evidence indicates disability are counted as COP days, regardless of whether the employee was or would have been scheduled to work on those days. The rate at which COP is paid for these employees is calculated according to Sec. 10.216(b).