This memorandum is a special reminder to agencies of the pay policies in effect that will apply to non-career appointees (e.g., Executive Schedule, non-career Senior Executive Service, Schedule C) who resign effective at noon, eastern standard time (EST), on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009. Since holiday pay is contingent upon the number of hours scheduled for work, affected employees are entitled to compensation (including holiday pay or any applicable holiday premium pay) only for periods of time during which their Federal appointments are in effect. Accordingly, each agency is responsible for determining the number of hours of pay for each non-career appointee based on the employee’s work schedule for that day, prior to the termination of his or her appointment at noon (EST).
An employee who resigns receives a full day of retirement credit for any partial day of employment. The employee’s Federal Employees Health Benefit coverage continues until the end of the pay period in which the resignation occurred. An additional thirty one days of coverage is then continued at no charge.
The following are examples of non-career appointees who resign at noon (EST) on January 20:
Example 1. A General Schedule employee with a Schedule C appointment or a non-career member of the Senior Executive Service who works in the Inauguration Day area is entitled to a holiday. (The Inauguration Day area is defined as the District of Columbia, Montgomery or Prince George’s Counties in Maryland, Arlington or Fairfax Counties in Virginia, or the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, or Fairfax in Virginia.) The employee is entitled to pay only for the hours he or she would have been scheduled to work (but for the holiday) until noon on January 20.
Example 2. A General Schedule employee with a Schedule C appointment or a non-career member of the Senior Executive Service is employed outside of the Inauguration Day area and is not entitled to a holiday. The employee is entitled to pay only for the hours he or she works (or takes leave) until noon on January 20.
Example 3. An Executive Schedule official (e.g., Secretary, Assistant Secretary) does not have a scheduled tour of duty and does not earn or use leave. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) believes it is appropriate to pay these individuals a half day’s pay (i.e., 4 hours) because the 12 hours between midnight and noon on January 20 represent half a day. Normally, Executive Schedule officials receive pay for 8 hours a day.
Additional Information
For additional information, agency Chief Human Capital Officers and/or Human Resources Directors should contact their assigned OPM Human Capital Officer. Employees should contact their agency human resources office for assistance.
cc: Human Resources Directors