Leave refers paid or unpaid time when an employee is absent from work. Leave is an essential component of a Federal employee’s total rewards package,
and it is an essential tool for managers and supervisors. Leave can be planned or unplanned; approved or disapproved; paid or unpaid; and some other forms.
Normally, an employee requests leave; however under certain circumstances, management can require leave. Leave may be an entitlement, a quality of work-life
benefit, a tool managers can use to provide a reasonable accommodation, a recruiting enticement, and much more. The Department of the Navy’s Human Resources
Leave Administration page provides a centralized resource of information to help Department of the Navy managers, supervisors, and employees better understand
this multifaceted issue.
Various types of leave for various situations are available for employees. Policy on leave in the Federal government is set by law and regulations. Managers
and supervisors responsible for approving or disapproving leave should be aware of statutory and regulatory requirements on granting or denying leave. Because
leave can affect compensation, policy guidance can be found at the Office of Personnel Management, the Civilian Personnel Management Services, the Defense Finance
and Accounting Service, the DoD Financial Management Regulations, and the General Accounting Office.
For most managers, supervisors, and employees, annual leave, holiday leave, and unscheduled sick leave are routine procedures; however, some leave situations
are not so routine. Extraordinary events, such as pandemic influenza or a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, require special leave flexibilities, which may
not be familiar or well understood. Leave In Emergency Situations describes targeted resources to help managers and employees understand
leave flexibilities and how to make sound leave decisions in emergency circumstances.