Question.
When the Federal Government announces an
"unscheduled leave policy" due to adverse
weather conditions, do agencies have discretion to
grant excused absence to employees who arrive late
for work?
Answer.Yes. When the Federal Government announces
an "unscheduled leave policy," employees not
designated as "emergency employees" may take annual
leave or leave without pay without the prior approval
of their supervisors. In addition, each agency has
discretionary authority to determine when it is
appropriate to grant a reasonable amount of excused
absence to employees who are unavoidably delayed in
arriving for work. Factors such as distance,
availability of transportation, and the success of
other employees in similar situations should be
considered in determining the amount of excused
absence to grant. Employees are responsible for
notifying their supervisors of their situation.
It is up to each supervisor to determine what is
a reasonable amount of time to allow for excused
absences for late arrival to ensure that the employee's
work requirements are fulfilled and that the agency's
operations are conducted efficiently and effectively.
Employees designated as "emergency employees" are
expected to report for work on time.
