June 26, 1997

MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTORS OF PERSONNEL (CPM 97-7)

FROM:       DONALD J. WINSTEAD
                    ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
                    FOR COMPENSATION POLICY

SUBJECT: Latest Developments in Leave Policies

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has transmitted to Congress a report evaluating the 3-year experimental program under the Federal Employees Family Friendly Leave Act (Public Law 103-388, October 22, 1994) that permits Federal employees to use sick leave for family care or bereavement purposes. The Act required OPM to evaluate the use of sick leave for family care or bereavement purposes and to make recommendations as to whether the entitlements under the Act should continue beyond December 21, 1997. In the report, OPM recommended that the provisions of the Federal Employees Family Friendly Leave Act be made permanent. We thank all of the agencies who provided comments and recommendations for this report. A copy of the report is available on OPM's electronic Bulletin Board System on (202) 606-4800 (Compensation Administration Forum). The report is also available on OPM's website.

We are also pleased to inform you that section 9004 of Public Law 105-18, effective June 12, 1997, added section 6391 to title 5, United States Code, to provide that in the event of a major disaster or emergency, the President has the authority to direct OPM to create a special emergency leave transfer program to permit the transfer of annual leave to employees who are adversely affected by such disaster or emergency. Affected employees would not have to exhaust their own accumulated leave before qualifying for transferred leave. Employees in any executive agency will be able to donate annual leave to affected employees in the same agency or other agencies, and agency leave banks will be able to donate leave to the emergency leave transfer program established under this legislation. OPM plans to issue regulations in the near future on the new emergency leave transfer program.

For further information, contact the Compensation Administration Division at (202) 606-2858 or email at payleave@opm.gov.

Last Modified: 2:37:53 PM on Wednesday, August 20, 2003