U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

February 16, 2000

For most employees, leave year 2000 began on January 2, 2000, and will end on January 13, 2001. For these employees, leave year 2000 will have 27 pay periods. (In a few agencies, the first pay period in calendar year 2000 began on January 9, 2000. For employees of agencies on this schedule, leave year 2000 will have 26 pay periods.)

A leave year with 27 pay periods has no effect on an employee's accrual of leave. Employees will earn leave for each full pay period they are employed in the leave year, and employees in the 6-hour accrual category will continue to earn 10 hours in the last full pay period of the leave year. However, the 30-day maximum carryover of annual leave remains in effect. Therefore, you should advise affected employees that they will accrue an additional 4, 6, or 8 hours of annual leave in leave year 2000 due to the 27th pay period and that they must schedule any "lose or use" annual leave before December 3, 2000.

Most employees will have 26 pay days in calendar year 2000. However, if you have any employees with 27 pay days, please see Compensation Policy Memorandum (CPM) 97-3, April 2, 1997, "Guidance on Pay Caps in Calendar Years with 27 Pay Days."  It is located at http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/1997_1996/cpm97-3.asp.

For further information, please contact our Pay and Leave Administration Division by calling (202) 606-2858, sending a FAX to (202) 606-0824, or sending an email message to payleave@opm.gov.

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