Washington, DC - The Office of Personnel Management has urged Congress to make employee leave sharing programs for federal workers a permanent fixture in the workplace. Voluntary leave transfer and leave bank programs assist employees during personal or family medical emergencies by providing leave that has been donated by co-workers and other federal employees.

In a report to lawmakers on the "Federal Employees Leave Sharing Act of 1988," OPM said the voluntary leave transfer and leave bank programs are effective and popular with employees and agencies. During fiscal years 1991 and 1992, 23,000 employees facing medical emergencies received more than 3.5 million hours of donated leave. Further, because the hourly rates of pay of leave donors are on average higher than those of leave recipients, the programs are extremely cost effective.

"Leave sharing is a wonderful way for employees to support their colleagues, so that during difficult and stressful times they are not forced to go without a paycheck," said OPM Director Jim King. "It is a barn-raising approach to a personal need for community help and support."

Public Law 100-566, enacted October 31, 1988, authorized federal agencies to establish voluntary leave transfer or leave bank programs for use in emergencies by employees who have exhausted all available paid leave. Each program is supported by donations of annual leave from agency employees. Depending on the program operating in the agency, employees donate leave to a specific individual or to a general leave bank that can be tapped by eligible employees. The five-year experimental program expires October 31, 1993, unless extended or made permanent by law.

Under the leave transfer program, employees donate leave directly to specific co-workers who have exhausted all of their available paid leave. Under the leave bank program, employees donate leave to a general agency account that has been established to aid eligible employees. In order to receive leave benefits under this latter program, an employee previously must have made a minimum contribution to the leave bank.

OPM also recommends that agencies be permitted to choose a leave transfer or leave bank program, or a combination of programs. Another recommendation would eliminate restrictions on interagency transfers of annual leave.

Our mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.