Brief 
Absences

Supervisors may grant up to 1 hour of excused absence for infrequent unavoidable tardiness or other miscellaneous absences if adequate reasons are provided. This does not preclude allowing the employee to make up the absence with additional work time, ch arging such absences to other appropriate paid or unpaid leave, or taking appropriate disciplinary action.

Excused
Absence for 
Time-Off 
Awards

Immediate supervisors have the authority to grant excused absence as a time-off award. (Refer to Agency awards guidelines for more information on granting of the award itself.) Absence for a time-off award is reported as excused absence on the T&A report. 

Employee 
Assistance
Program

An employee may be granted up to 1 hour (or more as necessitated by travel) of excused absence for each counseling session for up to 6 sessions.

Agency-
Sanctioned 
Volunteer 
Programs

A supervisor may grant excused absence to an employee to participate in a volunteer activity if the activity: 

• Is directly related to the mission of USDA or the agency, 

• Is officially sponsored or sanctioned by the agency, or 

• Will clearly enhance the professional development or skills of the employee in his/her current position. 

Before granting such an excused absence, the supervisor should ensure that the employee's absence will not have an adverse impact on work operations. 

Generally, an employee is not covered under OWCP for an injury which may occur during a period of excused absence. However, an employee who believes the injury should be covered under OWCP may file a claim to be evaluated by the Department of Labor. 

Collecting Data for Local Wage Survey Committees

Excused absence is not appropriate for the purpose of collecting data for local wage survey committees. All employees, including union representatives, will be in an official duty status. 

Use of Time for Union Purposes

Refer to the applicable national or local union contract for information regarding use of time for union representation purposes. Questions should be directed to the servicing labor relations or employee relations specialist. 

Funerals for Members of Armed Forces

An employee who is a veteran of any war, campaign, or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, or is a member of an honor or ceremonial group of a veteran's organization will be granted excused absence (not to exceed 4 hours in any 1 day) to participate as an active pallbearer, member of a firing squad, or honor guard in a funeral ceremony for a member of the Armed Forces returned to the United States for burial(5 U.S.C.6321). 

An employee may be granted up to 3 days of excused absence to make arrangements for, or attend funeral or memorial services for, certain members of the Armed Forces when (5 U.S.C. 6326): 

• The decedent member of the Armed Forces is a family member (as defined in this Subchapter); and 

• The decedent died as the result of a wound, disease, or injury incurred while serving in the Armed Forces in a combat zone. 

If additional leave is required, annual leave, sick leave, or LWOP may be requested as appropriate. 

Job Examinations

An employee will be granted excused absence to take a job qualification examination or to obtain a professional license for: 

• The position the employee currently occupies; 

• A position to which the Department has recommended the employee be transferred, promoted, or reassigned; or 

• A professional license or certification (Certified Public Accountant certification, engineer's license, etc.) which is considered advantageous to the agency. 

Career Transition Assistance

Employees affected by downsizing, streamlining, budget reductions, reorganization, or similar events may be granted official time (not excused absence) to utilize career transition services and facilities, and to report for job interviews. For complete information on eligibility requirements and the amount of official time allowable, refer to agency guidance on Career Transition Assistance. 

Local, State, Territorial, and Foreign Holidays

When a field office is closed and work cannot be properly performed due to a local, State, territorial or foreign holiday, field employees may be granted excused absence. 

To the extent practicable, heads of offices in common geographical areas should collaborate on this determination. To determine if an employee is actually prevented from working, appropriate officials should consider the following factors: 

• The building or office in which the employee works is physically closed, or building services essential to proper performance of work are not operating; 

• Local transportation services are discontinued or interrupted; or 

• The employee's duties consist largely or entirely of dealing directly with employees and officials of business or industrial establishments or local government offices which are closed in observance of the holiday, and there are no other duties con sistent with his/her normal duties to which the employee can be assigned. 

Heads of field offices are responsible for: 

• Strictly applying standards to hold office closings to a minimum; and 

• Notifying Division/Program headquarters whenever a field office must be closed for such a holiday. 

Workplace Violence Situations

Supervisors are responsible for determining needed actions to ensure a safe work environment. This includes determining whether excused absence should be granted to violent or potentially violent employees, to other affected employees, in what amount, and for how long. 

See your Agency's policy for additional guidance on Workplace Violence. 

Employee Relations Cases

Agency officials proposing disciplinary and/or performance based actions against employees will determine, in consultation with their servicing ERS, if it is necessary to grant an employee excused absence during a notice period, and the amount to be granted. Decisions to grant excused absence should be in writing, outlining the reasons for the excused absence, its length, and any provisions (e.g., workplace restrictions, availability by phone, restrictions on phone numbers an employee may call) in effect during the period of excused absence.

Tutoring/Mentoring Programs 
Introduction - Partnership in the Adopt-a School Program and Partnership in Education Programs

Federal employees are encouraged to volunteer to support children and youth at local elementary, middle, and high schools. Through the APHIS Partnership in Education Program, AMS, GIPSA's Adopt-a-School Programs, Marketing and Regulatory Programs employees have many ways to volunteer. They may mentor, tutor, serve as science fair judges, participate in annual events such as National Groundhog Job Shadow Day, Dr. Seuss Reading Day, Career Day- - just to name a few. MRP employees across the nation can work with neighborhood schools close to their homes or at schools close to their work sites.

Agencies may provide employees up to 2 hours of excused absence per week to volunteer as mentors or tutors in Agency-sponsored schools (Federal Personnel Letter 992-1 dated April 19, 1991 sunseted but still used as guidance). Employees must notify their supervisor in advance when they are invoking the 2 hours of excused absence.

Becoming a Mentor/Tutor

To get started:

• You must complete a Participation Form
 (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrp/pie/piestartup.shtml).
• Get it signed by your immediate supervisor, and 
• Submit it to your Agency's designated Program Coordinator.

Each school has a liaison who will assist you by providing orientation information on school procedures and how to be a successful mentor/tutor. The liaison will also coordinate your participation in special events at the school.

Agency Coordinators/
Contacts

Agency - Sponsored Schools

Your Agency's designated Program Coordinator will have a list of Agency- sponsored schools (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrp/pie/partnerschools.shtm). These schools will have a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) executed between the agency and the school.

If you want to volunteer at a school that is not on the list, you may work with your agency's Program Coordinator and the school's principal or his/her designee to agree on your volunteer responsibilities. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be completed with the signature of the Principal and the Agency Administrator.

Accounting for Your Time While Mentoring or Tutoring

• How many hours of excused absence may I use to mentor?
  You may use up to 2 hours of excused absence per week.
• How should I code the excused absence on my Time and Attendance (T&A)?
  Code the excused absence as Transaction Code (TC) 66 on the T&A Log. The specified hours must be documented in item 10 on the T&A Log. 
• Can I carry over unused hours from week to week?
  No.
• Does the excused absence include my travel time?
• Yes, the two hours of excused absence includes your travel time to and from the school in the local area. Your home to work commute will be on your time.
• What if the mentoring/tutoring activities exceed 2 hours?
  If the activity exceeds this time frame, you may take annual leave, leave with out pay (LWOP), use earned credit hours, or if you are on a maxiflex schedule you may make up the time during the pay period.
• If I am a participant in the Telework program, may I tutor on my scheduled work-at-home day?
  With supervisory approval, you may tutor on your scheduled work-at- home day.
• If you begin your official tour of duty with your tutoring assignment, your work day will begin when you sign in at the school. In this instance your commute time to the school would be on your own time. The time you spend tutoring and your return commute to your home or satellite office would be recorded as excused absence (TC 66) on your T&A and would be considered part of the 2 hours allowed per week.

Travel Expenses

Travel expenses incurred while mentoring/tutoring (mileage, parking, etc.) are not reimbursable.

Worker's Compensation Coverage

In most cases, employees on excused absence while participating in Agency sponsored/sanctioned volunteer activities are covered by the 5 U.S.C. Chapter 81, "Compensation for Work Injuries." This means you could be covered by the Federal Employees Compensation Act (Workers Compensation) if injured while mentoring/tutoring.

Use of GOV's

In accordance with the MRP Motor Vehicle Fleet Management Manual, transporting children and mentored students in government owned or leased vehicles (GOV's) is not allowed.

Instead, we recommend students be transported by vehicles owned or leased by their school district. You may transport students in your privately owned vehicle if you have gotten permission from the school and the student's parent or guardian.

Questions

Refer questions to your Agency's designated Mentoring/Tutoring Coordinator.

MRPHRD Employment Policy Branch will provide guidance in interpreting policy and procedures for employees participating in the program.

Emergency Program Assignments
(APHIS Only)

If you are sent on a temporary duty assignment (TDY) to an emergency program, after returning from each TDY assignment you may be granted excused absence (amounts listed in the table below) if all of the following conditions are met:

• The emergency program is expected to continue for at least 6 months.

• You will be sent to the emergency program on TDY on a continuing rotational basis. Each rotational TDY assignment lasts at a minimum 1 administrative workweek (7 consecutive calendar days) or 3 administrative workweeks (21 consecutive calendar days). The MRP administrative workweek is Sunday through Saturday.

• While at the TDY site, you will be provided an unpaid day(s) off within your rotational TDY assignment. 

Note: The excused absence must be used at the beginning of the first day you are expected to return to duty at your ODS for your regularly scheduled TOD. It may not be used at a later time. 

Note: Time and attendance sheets must show that you worked the minimum required amount of time on a continuing rotational basis and that you had an unpaid day(s) off while at the emergency program TDY site.

Note: The approving official must include a written statement with supporting documentation.

Return to Civilian Employment for Activated Military Members

On November 14, 2003, President Bush granted five (5) days of excused absence to employees returning to Federal civilian employment who were on active military duty in connection with:

• Operation Noble Eagle,

• Operation Enduring Freedom,

• Operation Iraqi Freedom, or

• Any other military operations subsequently established under EO 13223 and deemed to be part of the continued Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).

To qualify for the excused absence, an employee must have been on active duty in support of GWOT for at least 42 consecutive days (See OPM’s CPM 2008-21 dated 12/16/2008). An employee does not qualify for the excused absence if:

• A subsequent deployment was less than 42 consecutive days, or
• For multiple deployments in which each deployment was for less than 42 consecutive days, and
• Subsequent deployments occur within the same 12-month period.

The excused absence:

• Must be granted as soon as the employee reports back for Federal civilian duty but prior to the actual resumption of duties or notifies the agency of his or her intent to return.
• Will be granted to those employees who were called to active duty in support of the GWOT
• Must be granted to employees on a part-time work schedule. For these employees, the time is prorated based on the number of hours in the employee's regularly scheduled workweek.
• Is granted for subsequent activations however, it may only be granted once within a 12-month period. The 12-month period begins on the first day of excused absence and ends 365 days later.
• Must be used all at once.
• Does not affect the time limits for exercising restoration rights. The five days is granted in addition to restoration rights.
• May not be granted to a new employee who was not a Federal civilian employee at the time of his or her activation.