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Performance Management

Fall 2000

The Performance Management Mailbag

Our mail includes often-asked questions that we'll be sharing with our readers in this recurring feature.

Question: Can employees on approved annual or sick leave or veterans on leave to seek treatment for a service related disability be held to a work performance standard in their performance appraisal?

Answer: An agency may not hold an employee accountable for work that does not get done because of an absence for which the employee is on any type of approved leave. If there is a specific performance standard for the appraisal year, it may be prorated for the amount of time the employee was at work.

The issue of veterans seeking medical treatment is specifically addressed in the performance management regulations at part 430.209(f) of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations: "The rating of record or performance rating of a disabled veteran shall not be lowered because the veteran has been absent from work to seek medical treatment as provided in Executive Order 5396."