Skip Navigation - Go to main content
A F M link to USDA home page Link to A R S Home page link to CSREES home page A F M Home link to ERS home page link to NASS home page
Search
Browse By Subject

Human Resources

Pay & Leave

Summary of Policies
Family-Friendly Leave Policies

U. S. Office of Personnel Management
Compensation Administration

FAMILY-FRIENDLY
LEAVE POLICIES

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OF 1993 (FMLA)
(Public Law 103-3, February 5, 1993)
Effective on August 5, 1993
Covered Federal employees are entitled to a total of 12 administrative workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for (a) the birth of a son or daughter and care of the newborn; (b) the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care; (c) the care of a spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a serious health condition; and (d) a serious health condition of the employee that makes the employee unable to perform the duties of his or her position. Upon return from such leave, an employee must be returned to the same position or to an equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay, status, and other terms and conditions of employment.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES FAMILY FRIENDLY LEAVE ACT
(Public Law 103-388, October 22, 1994)
Regulations Effective on June 20, 2000
Most covered Federal employees may use up to 104 hours (13 days) of sick leave each leave year to care for a family member or to arrange for or attend the funeral of a family member. Full-time employees may use 40 hours (5 days) of sick leave for these purposes without regard to their current sick leave balance. An additional 64 hours (8 days) may be used if the employee maintains a balance of at least 80 hours of sick leave in his or her sick leave account. An employee can use up to 480 hours of sick leave for a serious medical condition if the employee maintains a balance of at least 80 hours of sick leave in their sick leave account.

SICK LEAVE FOR ADOPTION
(Section 629(b) of Public Law 103-329, September 30, 1994)
Federal employees are entitled to use sick leave for purposes related to the adoption of a child. In addition, employees may substitute sick leave retroactively for all or any portion of annual leave used for adoption-related purposes between September 30, 1991, and September 30, 1994.

LEAVE FOR BONE-MARROW OR ORGAN DONATION
(Section 629(a) of Public Law 103-329, September 30, 1994)
Federal employees are entitled to use 7 days of paid leave (excused absense) each calendar year to serve as a bone-marrow donor. And up to 30 days of paid leave each calendar year for organ donation.

FEDERAL LEAVE SHARING
(Public Law 103-103, October 8, 1993)
Permanent program effective since January 31, 1994

Leave transfer programs allow Federal employees to donate annual leave to other Federal employees who have medical emergencies and who have exhausted their own leave. Leave banks allow employees to contribute a specified amount of annual leave yearly to their agency leave bank. Leave bank members with medical emergencies can withdraw leave from the bank if they exhaust their own leave.