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

An issue that sometimes "stumps" supervisors is what to do when an employee requests leave during the opportunity period. You should consider each request for leave based on the specific circumstances in the request. Know your agency's rules for approving or disapproving leave and get some technical advice from the human resources office before you deny any leave during this time. Additionally, keep these thoughts in mind:

	An employee on approved leave (annual, sick, or leave without pay) cannot be penalized for work that is not completed while on approved leave.
	An employee should be aware of agency (or office) procedures for requesting leave and for providing medical documentation (especially important for accommodation requests). The employee should also be aware of what action the agency may take if these procedures are not followed.
	Be sure you understand the various family-friendly leave entitlements available to employees, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and the Family Friendly Leave Act of 1994.
	If an employee is on approved leave for a significant period of time during the opportunity period, you may want to extend the period to allow the employee a "reasonable" time on the job to improve.