The Labor Department has published interim rules to carry out a change in law enacted as part of a DoD authorization measure to provide a death benefit of $100,000 for eligible survivors of federal employees, including nonappropriated fund employees, who die of injuries incurred in connection with service with an Armed Force in a contingency operation. The rules, in the August 18 Federal Register, note that the law contains a retroactive payment provision, stating that the death gratuity will be paid for employees of certain agencies who died on or after October 1, 2001, due to injuries incurred in connection with service with an Armed Force in theater of operations of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The benefit, which is payable under the Federal Employees Compensation Act program, will be offset by certain other death benefits payable.