Leave earned by Federal employees’ compares very favorably with that earned with those employees within the private sector. The two main types of leave are Annual Leave and Sick Leave.

Employees Transferring to DoDEA from another Federal Agency: Both annual and sick leave credited to an employee from another Federal agency is transferred with the employee to DoDEA.

Annual Leave

is designed to give periods of vacation for rest and relaxation and to provide time off for personal business or family needs.

How is Annual Leave Accrued?

Full-time employees: The amount of annual leave earned depends on the employee's length of Federal service. Full-time employees earn and are credited with leave during each full pay period that they are on the rolls in a pay status or a combination of pay and non-pay status. Leave is not earned for any pay period that an employee is in a non-pay status for a full pay period.

• An employee with less than 3 years of Federal service is credited 4 hours of annual leave each biweekly pay period.
• An employee with at least 3 but less than 15 years of Federal service is credited 6 hours of annual leave each biweekly pay period. (Except that the accrual for the last full biweekly pay period in the calendar year is 10 hours).
• An employee with 15 or more years of Federal service is credited 8 hours of annual leave each biweekly pay period.

Part-time employees for whom a regular tour of duty has been established in advance are credited with annual leave as follows:

• An employee with at least 3 years of Federal service shall earn 1 hour of annual leave for each 20 hours within a pay status.
• An employee with at least 3 years of Federal service, but less than 15 years of Federal service shall earn 1 hour for each 13 hours within a pay status.
• An employee with 15 or more years of Federal service earns 1 hour for each 10 hours within a pay status.

How do you get your leave Approved?

Annual leave shall be requested by an employee and approved in advance of use unless due to unforeseen circumstances this is not possible. In cases of emergency, the employee will contact the supervisor as soon as possible, but not later than two hours after the start of the workday to request leave. In all cases, the use of annual leave is subject to the approval of the authorized leave-approving official. Additionally, annual leave may be requested, approved, and recorded in 15-minute increments.

Sick Leave and general uses:

An employee may request sick leave for medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment, including physical examinations, when incapacitated for performance of duties by a physical or mental illness, injury or pregnancy, or childbirth.

How is Sick Leave Accrued?

Full-time employees: A full-time employee with a 40-hour basic workweek, regardless of his/her length of service, earns sick leave at the rate of four (4) hours for each full biweekly pay period.

Part-time employees: An employee with a regular tour of duty who works less than a 40 hour workweek is credited with 1 hour of sick leave for each 20 hours in a pay status. Credit may not exceed 4 hours for 80 hours in a pay status during any full biweekly pay period.

Unused Sick Leave: There is no limitation on the amount of sick leave that may be carried forward from one leave year to another. Unused sick leave remains to the employee's credit and is available for use any time before his or her separation.

How do you get your sick leave Approved?

Sick leave must be requested and approved in advance of use unless an employee is unable to do so due to a sudden illness. In the case of a sudden illness, the employee must contact his/her supervisor to request approval for the absence as soon as possible, but no later than two hours after the start of the workday. Additionally, sick leave may be recorded in increments of 15 minutes.

Using Sick Leave for Family Reasons:

An employee may request to use up to 104 hours (13 workdays) of sick leave for the following family reasons in accordance with the “Limitations” provided below:

Bereavement Purposes: To make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or attend the funeral of a family member.

Care for a Family Member: To care for a family member who is incapacitated as a result of physical or mental illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth; and to care for a family member as a result of medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment.

How do you get your leave Approved?

Full-time employees: A full-time employee may use up to 104 hours (13 workdays) of sick leave each year as long as a balance of 80 hours of sick leave is maintained in his/her sick leave account. Up to 40 hours of sick leave (5 workdays) may be used without maintaining the 80-hour balance of sick leave.

Part-time employees: A part-time employee and employee with uncommon tours of duty are also covered, and the amount of sick leave permitted for family care and bereavement is pro-rated in proportion to the average number of hours of work in the employee's scheduled tour of duty each week.

A "Family member" is defined as a:

• spouse, and parents thereof;
• children, including adopted children, and spouses thereof;
• parents;
• brothers and sisters, and spouses thereof; and
• any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.

Adoption: An employee may request sick leave for purposes connected with the adoption of a child. For example, sick leave is appropriate for appointments with adoption agencies, social workers, and attorneys; court proceedings; required travel; and any other activities necessary to allow the adoption to proceed.

Bone-Marrow or Organ Donor: An employees is entitled to request up to 7 days of paid leave each calendar year to serve as a bone-marrow donor. Employees are also entitled to up to 30 days of leave to serve as an organ donor.

Sick Leave to Care for a Seriously Ill Family Member: A Federal employee may use a total of up to 12 workweeks of sick leave each leave year to care for a family member with a serious health condition. If an employee previously has used any portion of the 13 days of sick leave for general family care or bereavement purposes in a leave year, that amount must be subtracted from the 12-week entitlement. If an employee has already used 12 weeks of sick leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition, he or she cannot use an additional 13 days in the same leave year for general family care purposes. An employee is entitled to a total of 12 weeks of sick leave each year for all family care purposes.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding sick leave, please contact the DoDEA, Human Resources Regional Service Center, Employee Relations Section at (703) 696-1681, 82, or 83.

References: DoDEA Regulation 5630.9, 5 USC Part 630