MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES |
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SUBJECT: |
Excused Absence and Assistance to Federal Employees Affected by the Attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon |
I am deeply saddened and outraged by
the loss of life and suffering caused by the attacks at the World Trade Center
in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
I convey my deepest sympathy and heartfelt sorrow to our fellow Americans
and their families who have been affected by these senseless acts of violence.
Many parts of the Federal Government have been mobilized to respond to
this tragedy.
As part of this effort, I ask the heads
of executive departments and agencies having Federal civilian employees in the
affected areas to excuse from duty, without charge to leave or loss of pay, any
such employee who is prevented from reporting to work or faced with a personal
emergency because of the terrorist attacks and who can be spared from his or her usual
responsibilities. This policy
should also be applied to any employee who is needed for emergency law
enforcement, relief, or recovery efforts authorized by Federal, State, or local
officials having jurisdiction.
I
have directed the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of
Labor to establish teams of specialists to assist with Federal benefits and
workers' compensation claims of those employees who were injured or killed in
the attacks.
Finally, I have directed OPM to
establish an emergency leave transfer program to assist employees affected by
this major disaster. The emergency
leave transfer program will permit employees in an executive agency to donate
unused annual leave for transfer to employees of the same or other agencies who
have been adversely affected by the attacks and who need additional time off
from work without having to use their own paid leave.
/signed/ George Bush |
Web page created September 2001