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U. S. Office of Personnel
Management
Compensation Administration
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
LEAVE POLICIES FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
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Do you need time off from work for personal,
family, or medical needs?
Are you confused about your options?
The following may help to put things into
perspective. See your agency's personnel office for additional
information on each of these leave policies.
ANNUAL LEAVE
Annual leave is designed to give you vacation periods for rest
and relaxation and to provide time off for your personal business
or family needs. Your annual leave must be scheduled and approved
in advance.
SICK LEAVE
Sick leave may be used when you--
- Receive medical, dental, or optical examination or
treatment;
- Are incapacitated by physical or mental illness, injury,
pregnancy, or childbirth;
- Would, because of exposure to a communicable disease,
jeopardize the health of others by your presence on the
job; or
- Must be absent from work for adoption-related activities.
In addition, you may use a limited amount* of sick leave to--
- Provide care for a family member as the result of
physical or mental illness, injury, pregnancy,
childbirth, or medical, dental, or optical examination or
treatment; or
- Make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family
member or attend the funeral of a family member.
* If you are a full-time employee, you may use up to 40 hours
(5 days) of your sick leave each leave year for family care and
bereavement purposes. An additional 64 hours (8 days) may be used
as long as you maintain a balance of at least 80 hours of sick
leave in your sick leave account.
Part-time employees and employees with uncommon tours of duty
are also covered, and the amount of sick leave they may use for
these purposes is pro-rated.
FAMILY
AND MEDICAL LEAVE
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), covered
employees are entitled to a total of 12 administrative workweeks
of unpaid leave (leave without pay) during any 12-month period
for--
- The birth of a son or daughter and care of the newborn;
- The placement of a son or daughter with you for adoption
or foster care;
- The care of your spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a
serious health condition; and
- Your own serious health condition that makes you unable
to perform the duties of your position.
Upon return from FMLA leave, you must be returned to the same
or equivalent position. While on FMLA leave, you are entitled to
maintain health benefits coverage. If you are on leave without
pay under the FMLA, you are responsible for paying the employee
share of the health benefits premium.
You may choose to substitute annual leave for unpaid leave
under the FMLA. You may also substitute sick leave in those
situations in which the use of sick leave is permitted.
LEAVE FOR BONE-MARROW OR ORGAN DONATION
As a Federal employee, you are entitled to use 7 days of paid
leave each calendar year (in addition to annual or sick leave) to
serve as a bone-marrow or organ donor.
LEAVE SHARING
If you have a medical emergency and have exhausted your own
leave, the leave transfer program allows other Federal employees
to donate annual leave to you.
There may also be a leave bank program where you work. These
bank programs allow members (those who contribute a specific
amount) to apply for leave from the leave bank in the event of a
medical emergency.
Federal leave policies can work together to help you manage
your work and family responsibilities. Here are some examples of
how employees may use leave when facing a personal, medical, or
family emergency.
- Laura is a single mother with two children who has worked
for the Government for 2 1/2 years. Laura has 201 hours
of sick leave and 80 hours of annual leave. Laura's
children have problems with recurring ear infections and
strep throat and must occasionally be kept home from
school and afternoon day care. Laura may use up to 13
days of sick leave a year to care for her children when
they are ill (as long as her sick leave balance does not
drop below 80 hours). By doing so, Laura may be able to
conserve her annual leave for a possible family vacation
or to care for her children when her child care provider
is unavailable.
- Michael has worked for the Federal Government for only 5
months. He had 40 hours of sick leave and 36 hours of
annual leave before he underwent an emergency
appendectomy last week. He has been absent for 5 days,
and his doctor wants him to use at least 6 weeks to
recuperate. Fortunately, Michael is a member of his
agency's leave bank program. He may apply to the bank for
donated leave to help support him until he can return to
work. Other employees may also wish to donate leave to
Michael through the leave transfer program. He may also
request advanced sick and/or annual leave if the donated
leave is not sufficient.
- Carol is expecting a baby in 4 months. Carol has 260
hours of sick leave and 200 hours of annual leave. She
wants to spend as much time as possible with her new
baby. Carol's doctor anticipates that she will need 6
weeks to recuperate after the baby's birth. Carol has
requested 240 hours of sick leave. She has also requested
4 weeks of annual leave and 3 months of leave without pay
(LWOP). Her supervisor approves the sick and annual leave
and informs her of her entitlement to unpaid leave under
the FMLA. Carol decides to invoke her FMLA entitlement
and use 4 weeks of leave without pay under the FMLA
following her approved annual leave. In addition, she and
her supervisor work out a leave schedule that permits
Carol to use FMLA leave without pay on an intermittent
basis 2 days a week for 3 months following her return to
work.
- Jeff and his wife plan to travel abroad soon to adopt a
child. He has a sick leave balance of 280 hours and an
annual leave balance of 160 hours. Jeff may use sick
leave for absences related to the adoption, including
travel time. His agency may advance him up to 30 days of
sick leave if requested. Jeff may also request annual
leave to spend time with his new son or daughter after
the adoption. In addition, he may invoke his entitlement
to leave without pay under the FMLA.
- Tom fell off his roof while cleaning the gutters and
broke his hip. The doctor says Tom will need to be absent
from work for at least 16 weeks. Tom has 240 hours of
sick leave and 137 hours of annual leave. His
installation is understaffed, and Tom is worried that
when his sick leave is gone, his supervisor will refuse
to grant him annual leave. He is most concerned about the
possibility of losing his job and with it his medical
benefits. Tom may use his sick leave and then invoke his
entitlement to unpaid leave under the FMLA. He may then
substitute his annual leave for part of the FMLA leave
without pay. While he is on FMLA leave, his reemployment
rights and medical benefits are protected. In addition,
Tom may apply for and use donated leave from his agency's
leave transfer program.
- Ruth and her husband have both worked for the Government
for 10 years. Their daughter was recently diagnosed with
a terminal illness. Ruth and her husband want to care for
their daughter at home for as long as possible. They have
sufficient sick leave in their accounts for each to use
13 days to care for their daughter. Ruth has also
requested 160 hours of annual leave. Ruth's supervisor
was sympathetic, but based on work-related needs, he felt
he could approve only 80 hours of annual leave. Ruth
notified her supervisor of her intent to invoke her
entitlement to leave without pay under the FMLA. Ruth
used her 80 hours of approved annual leave and then
substituted her remaining annual leave for FMLA leave
without pay. Her husband may also invoke his entitlement
to leave under the FMLA. When their annual leave is
exhausted, Ruth and her husband may each apply for and
receive donated leave from their agencies' leave transfer
programs. In this way, they will be able to care for
their daughter at home until hospitalization is
necessary.
- Emilio's sister needs a kidney transplant, and Emilio has
decided to donate his kidney to her. Emilio may use 7
days of paid leave to be a bone marrow or organ donor.
This includes the time required for testing to see if he
is a compatible donor, plus the time required to undergo
the transplant procedure and recuperate. Emilio may get
additional time off from work by requesting annual and/or
sick leave, advanced leave, and donated leave through his
agency's leave transfer program (if he exhausts his own
available paid leave).
Page created 19 June 1997