CHAPTER 630 - ABSENCE AND LEAVE
SUBCHAPTER 11 - EXCUSED ABSENCE
11-5. ADMINISTRATIVE DISCRETION
a. Blood Donation Any employee making a donation of blood for which he or she will receive no compensation may be excused from work without charge to annual or sick leave for a period not to exceed 4 hours (not including the time needed for the donation) for the purpose of subsequent rest and recuperation. Compen- sated blood donors will be required to take annual leave or leave without
pay for any period of absence for that purpose.
c. Taking Examinations Employees shall be granted official leave for a period necessary to
complete an examination or to obtain a professional license:
(1) If the examination the employees are taking, is for the position
they now occupy; or
(2) The examination is for a position to which transfer, promotion,
or reassignment is recommended by the Department.
(3) For a professional license or certification (such as CPA, Bar Exam
or admittance to practice, Engineers) where its acquisition is considered
advantageous to the Agency.
d. Leave Prior to or Upon Completion of Travel Employees may be excused for not to exceed two hours without charge
to leave prior to or upon completion of their travel status because the
time of departure from or arrival at their headquarters is such that an
administrative determination may be made that the leave is reasonably necessary
under the circumstances.
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f. Time allowed in Health Units or First Aid Rooms
Employees who are being sent to health units or first aid rooms for treatment shall be informed that they may not remain for more than one hour unless the circumstances are unusual. In case an employee
is not able to return to work after remaining in the health unit or first
aid room for one hour, the employee will be sent home by the supervising
nurse (where one is available or by the appropriate official where there
are no nurses) after the Agency concerned has been notified.
The above excused absence applies only to those employees who incur
an injury or become ill while in a duty status. Where employees are required
under doctor's orders to rest a certain amount each day, such time shall
be charged to sick leave.
All employees shall be instructed to "sign in" upon entering the health
unit or first aid room and "sign out" upon leaving. Duplicate copies of
time slips will be sent to Agencies only when visits involve a period of
rest or injury incurred in the line of duty. Agencies may verify visits
by telephone.
g. Participation in Emergency Rescue or Protective Work Any employee may be excused from work without charge to leave to participate
in emergency rescue or emergency protective work in a civilian capacity
during official working hours. Emergency situations include but are not
limited to extreme weather conditions or disasters such as fire, flood
or other natural phenomena.
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11-30-81 (Amend. 173) U.S. Department of Agriculture Personnel Manual
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Supervisors have the authority to grant leave. It should be their responsibility
to determine that such leave was for an emergency and was in the interest
of public welfare.
h. Physical Examinations (1) At Department request.
If an Agency of the Department requires an employee to undergo a physical
examination other than the required one for appointment, the employee shall
be given excused absence for the time necessary to complete the examination.
However, when because of a condition discovered or medical suspicions aroused
as a result of the examination it becomes necessary to hospitalize the
employee or require additional and more extensive tests and examinations,
then in the absence of legislation otherwise providing, the time involved
in undergoing such additional tests and examinations may not be regarded
as excused absence.
This would be true even though periods of duty may intervene between
the initial examination and the additional tests, examinations or hospitalizations
that may be required.
(2) For Military duty.
An employee who is required to take a physical examination in connection
with induction or enlistment in the armed forces shall be excused officially
for the time necessary to complete the examination. Members of the reserve
who are recalled to active duty are placed on pay status with the branch
of the armed forces for the time required to take the physical examination,
and therefore, shall not be excused for that purpose.
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i. Change of Official Station. Nontemporary employees who are making
a change of official station in the interest of the Federal Government
which will involve relocation of family residence may be granted time off
without charge to leave or loss of pay for moving arrangements and/or making
an approved househunting trip or locating quarters at new duty locations
incident to the move when expenses and costs of the move are reimbursable
under 7 AR 562 or other comparable Federal regulations. The total time
excused shall not exceed 80 hours of pay status for any official move under
these regulations.
The administrative leave is to cover such activities as:
(1) Locating quarters at new duty locations, including the travel time
covered in GSA Federal Travel Regulations.
(2) Premoving and postmoving arrangements, such as stopping and starting
utility services, but not for packing since packing is covered in the commuted
rate allowance.
The on-the-road travel time involved in the final one-way move is not
chargeable against the 80 hours limitation.
j. Draft Registration. Employees shall be granted official leave for
sufficient time to permit registration as required by the Military Selective
Service Act. Such official leave shall be granted subject to the following
considerations:
(1) Employees subject to registration.
(2) These employees must register as provided in the Act. |
U.S. Department of Agriculture 11-30-81 (Amend. 173)
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CHAPTER 630 - ABSENCE AND LEAVE
SUBCHAPTER 11 - EXCUSED ABSENCE
(3) They may submit to registration before a board having jurisdiction
in the area of their permanent home, or in any area in which they may happen
to be on the days they are subject to registration, as indicated in (2)
above.
k. Officially-Sponsored Functions and Programs. Employees may be excused from work to participate in programs and functions sponsored by the Department or a Department agency. On certain circumstances, an employee may be excused when the function is sponsored by another Government agency such as OPM, etc. These situations will be determined on a case-by-case basis. |
7-19-82 (Amend. 177) U.S. Department of Agriculture Personnel Manual