Lachance said the new benefit is valuable for its ability to help employees both at work and home.

"Giving employees the opportunity to use more of their earned sick leave to care for loved ones with a serious health condition is the latest example of the Clinton-Gore Administrations and OPMs efforts to make the federal government a model employer and an employer of first choice," said Lachance. "This benefit eliminates a significant barrier to caring for a family member with a serious health condition."

The new policy, which is part of the White House initiative on family-friendly programs in the federal workplace, becomes effective June 20, 2000. Regulations implementing the sick-leave policy appear in tomorrows Federal Register.

President Clinton last year instructed OPM to follow the lead of other economically advanced countries that offer a broad mix of programs to support employees facing extended family-care responsibilities.

Said Lachance: "To help us sustain the gains in quality service delivery made possible through the enormous contributions of our federal work force, we must adopt a compassionate mix of human resource policies. By embracing an improved time-off policy for employees who become care-givers for family members struck by serious illness, we will reinforce the bond between dedicated employee and caring employer, thereby helping ensure better futures for both."

Under previous regulations, federal employees could use from five days to 13 days of accrued sick leave to provide care for family members or for bereavement purposes. However, the results of a 1997 survey conducted by OPM noted concerns that the 13-day limitation was inadequate for employees dealing with the long-term illnesses of family members.

Extending leave benefits for the care of others is another of the Clinton-Gore Administrations initiatives to make the workplace more family-friendly and the government a model employer. Examples of other family-friendly workplace initiatives begun or given greater support since 1993 include the expansion of alternative work schedules, the opening of satellite work sites, an emphasis on telecommuting and programs to reduce home and workplace violence.

end