LEAVE. Navigating this Presentation Hyperlinks are underlined text, such as “Title,” that may...

Navigating this Presentation

Hyperlinks are underlined text, such as “Title,” that may or may not be the same color as the surrounding text.

Clicking on a hyperlink will bring up additional information on a particular topic.

Clicking anywhere on the page will advance to the next slide, which may contain additional information on that specific topic or return the viewer to the previous page.

Notes may appear at the bottom of the page to direct the viewer.

Leave

Leave is defined as:

Approved, authorized absence from duty during an employee’s regularly scheduled tour of duty

Leave Policy

Policy reference:

General Manual Title 360, Personnel,

Part 415 - Leave

General Provisions All leave is charged in 15-minute increments. Any leave in excess of three consecutive work days

must be requested on Form OPM-71, Request for Leave or Approved Absence.

Employees must obtain advanced authorization for absence from duty, whenever possible.

Where absence results from illness or emergency, employee (if incapacitated, another individual) must notify his/her supervisor or other appropriate person prior to the beginning of employee’s tour of duty.

If employee fails to properly notify his/her supervisor, that absence may be charged as an unauthorized absence (Absence Without Leave [AWOL]).

Supervisor Responsibilities

Schedule employee absences in order to: Maintain workforce necessary to accomplish mission Allow employees the flexibility to meet both work and

family needs Ensure that absences are charged to appropriate leave

category Ensure that employees understand the proper

procedures for requesting and using leave Maintain a thorough understanding of leave policies

and provisions Supervisor has authority to approve or deny any

type of leave based on workload and work requirements

Approving Leave

Supervisors should consider the following when approving leave usage: Mission

Workload Work requirements

Employees Impact on other employees’ workload Potential for forfeiting leave at year-end Morale

Approve/disapprove leave in the manner in which it was requested: Form OPM-71 E-mail response, etc.

Employee Responsibilities

Observe designated duty hours Be punctual in reporting for work and

returning from lunch Obtain advanced authorization for absence

from duty, whenever possible Correctly report all leave taken in

WebTCAS

Form

Form OPM-71, Request for Leave or Approved Absence, available online at:

http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/forms/frequent.html

Employee submits request for leave and explains reason/purpose

Supervisor approves/disapproves leave requested

LeaveFamily Care

FMLA

Parenting

Holiday

AWOL

LWOP

Annual

Sick

Military

Home

Leave Transfer Program

Religious Purposes

Excused Absence

Court

Comp Time

Credit Leave

Click on hyperlink for additional information.

Form

Click HERE when completed.

Annual Leave

Accrual Rates

Requesting/ Using Leave

Advanced Leave

Ownership

Use or Lose

Balances

Restoration

NOTE: Click HERE to return to the LEAVE menu.

Sick Leave

GeneralFamily Care

Advanced

Family Medical Leave

Adoption

Serious FamilyHealth

Condition


Excused Absences

Blood Donation

Organ Donation

Official Travel

Office Closure

Volunteer Activities

Examinations

Preventive Health

Funerals

Voting

Change of Duty Station

On-the-Job Injury


Voluntary Leave Transfer Program

(VLTP)

Forms

Definitions

Required Documentation

Application Process

Supervisor Duties

Role of the Timekeeper

Role of the Donor


End of Presentation

Press “ESC” key to exit.

Annual Leave

Provided to allow employees an annual vacation period for rest and recreation

May be used to conduct personal business which must be conducted during working hours

Accrues while employees are in pay status Use requires supervisor approval

Annual Leave Accrual Rates

Amount of annual leave earned is based on years of Service and type of employment

Full-Time EmployeeFull-Time EmployeeAppointment Exceeds 90 daysAppointment Exceeds 90 days

Length of Length of ServiceService

Hours Earned Hours Earned Per Payroll PeriodPer Payroll Period

<3<3 44

3 to 153 to 15 66

> 15> 15 88

Part-Time EmployeePart-Time EmployeeAppointment Exceeds 90 daysAppointment Exceeds 90 days

Length of Length of ServiceService

Hours Earned Per Hours Earned Per Payroll PeriodPayroll Period

<3<3 1 for each 20 1 for each 20 in a pay statusin a pay status

3 to 153 to 15 1 for each 13 1 for each 13 in a pay statusin a pay status

> 15> 15 1 for each 10 1 for each 10 in a pay statusin a pay status

Annual Leave Balances Generally, 240 hours is the maximum amount of

annual leave an employee may carry forward from one leave year to the next

Employees who have served in a foreign area may be able to carry 360 hours forward from one leave year to the next

Annual leave in excess of the maximum carryover is forfeited at the end of the leave year

A new leave year begins with the first full pay period in January

Separated employees are entitled to a lump sum payment for all “accumulated annual leave” to their credit at the time of separation

“Use or Lose” Annual Leave

Slang term for annual leave in excess of the maximum carryover that may be forfeited at the end of the leave year

Should be scheduled and requested prior to the last quarter of the leave year

Strange Questions & Answers

Instead of losing my “use or lose” leave, why can’t I cash it in?

The reason annual leave exists is so employees will take a break and get away from the work and worksite without suffering financially. Cashing in annual leave would simply increase an employee’s compensation; it doesn’t encourage rest and recreation. Those employees who need a vacation the most are usually the ones who recognize that fact the least.

NOTE: Click to return to the previous menu.

Restoration of Annual Leave Forfeited annual leave may only be restored in

cases of: Administrative error, Illness, or Exigency of public business

Restoration cannot be requested until forfeited after the end of the leave year

Restoration must be requested prior to April 1 of the new leave year

Leave must have been scheduled and approved in writing before the start of the third biweekly pay period prior to the end of the leave year

NOTE: Click on a topic for definition. Click on page for more information on restoration of annual leave.

Administrative Error

Employing agency determines what constitutes an administrative error

Usually, errors over which neither the employee or the supervisor has any control

NOTE: Click to return to the previous page.

Illness

The employing agency determines:

If forfeited annual leave was due to an employee illness or injury that occurred late in the leave year, OR

If the absence was of such duration that the excess annual leave could not be rescheduled for use before the end of the leave year


Exigency of Public Business

Employing agency determines that an exigency (i.e., an event that created an urgent need for employee to be at work) is of major importance and that “use or lose” annual leave previously approved will have to be cancelled

Employee’s use of earned compensatory time or credit hours does not constitute an exigency of public business


Procedures for Requesting Restoration of Annual Leave

Employee submits request for restoration of annual leave to supervisor with supporting information

Supervisor recommends approval/disapproval

If supervisor recommends approval, request is forwarded to state conservationist (STC) for approval

Requires STC approval

Request for Restoration of Annual Leave

Employee’s request should include:

Leave ceiling and balance at the end of leave year Number of scheduled annual leave hours forfeited WebTCAS record showing time of illness, if applicable Written evidence (normally Form OPM-71) of the

scheduled and approved annual leave that was cancelled Copy of Agency’s declaration of exigency, if applicable Declaration of exigency of public business must:

Be dated Include beginning and ending dates Include a description of the emergency situation, AND Be signed by the state conservationist or other appropriate

authority

Restored Annual Leave

Restored annual leave is placed in a separate leave account, not added to the employee’s regular annual leave balance

Restored annual leave must be scheduled and used no later than the end of the leave year ending two years following: Date of restoration due to administrative error Date fixed as the ending date of the exigency of

public business, OR Date employee is determined to be recovered from

illness or injury

NOTE: Click to return to ANNUAL LEAVE menu.

Requesting/Using Annual Leave Leave may be used once the employee has

requested and received supervisor approval in advance

Supervisor should inform employees of the process to be followed when requesting leave of less than three consecutive days in order to avoid any potential leave abuse problems

When it is not possible to schedule leave in advance, the employee must request leave from his/her supervisor before the beginning of his/her tour of duty

Using Leave

Leave used is recorded in WebTCAS Document hours and type of leave taken Add comments as necessary to ensure a third

party will understand the reporting of time

Leave Approval Authority

The supervisor has the authority to approve/disapprove annual leave requests based on workload and work requirements to accomplish the Agency’s mission

An employee has a right to use annual leave, subject to the right of the supervisor to schedule the time at which annual leave may be taken

Using Leave - A Few Things To Remember

An employee cannot be:

Required to use annual leave Involuntarily placed on annual leave Penalized/disciplined by removing annual leave


Advanced Annual Leave

Supervisor has authority to approve up to five days advanced leave for employees under their supervision Limited to the amount the employee will earn during

the remainder of the leave year or through the end of his/her appointment, whichever is less

Employee must request advanced annual leave in writing on Form OPM-71 and provide the reason for the request

Requests of more than five days advanced leave requires state conservationist approval

Advanced Annual Leave (continued)

Annual leave should not be advanced to an employee who: Has submitted a resignation Has applied for disability retirement Has received notice of separation, furlough, or reduction in force

Advanced leave does not carry over from one leave year to the next

The National Finance Center automatically converts advanced leave to leave without pay and deducts monies owed from the employee’s Pay Period 1 earnings

If an employee separates from Service, unearned advanced leave must be repaid to the government


Ownership of Annual Leave

Major difference between annual leave and other types of leave

Employees “own” annual leave Annual leave is paid out in a lump sum upon

separation The employer “owns” other types of leave, such

as sick, holiday, administrative, etc. (no cash value to employee)

Ownership of Annual Leave(continued)

Employees may donate annual leave to other Federal employees through the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program

If employees do not plan and manage annual leave usage carefully throughout the year, it may result in forfeiture of “use or lose” annual leave at the end of the leave year


If the employee “owns” annual leave, why does he/she have to get supervisor approval to use it?

Each employee is compensated for being available to work during his/her scheduled tour of duty. The supervisor is responsible for managing that time based on Agency mission and workload, including when the employee will not be at work or performing work-related duties.


Absence Without Leave(AWOL)

UNAUTHORIZED absence Charged when an employee is gone from the

worksite without being on approved leave when he/she is otherwise scheduled or directed to report for duty

Basis for formal disciplinary action, including separation from Federal employment

Supervisor has authority to charge AWOL

Reasons to Charge AWOL

Employee on sick leave restriction fails to provide medical documentation to support his/her absence

Employee inaccurately reports time that he/she actually arrived at, or departed from work

Employee fails to request leave properly Employee fails to report for work after leave

request has been denied Employee leaves work without requesting leave


Leave Without Pay (LWOP)

Temporary non-pay status and absence from duty Normally requested when an employee lacks sufficient

annual or sick leave to cover all, or a portion of, a requested period of absence

Supervisor must reasonably expect the employee will return at the expiration of the LWOP period

Supervisor has authority to approve up to five days LWOP

Requests for more than five days must be submitted to state conservationist for approval

Approved absence of 30 calendar days or more requires a Form SF-52, Request for Personnel Action, be sent to the Human Resources Staff documenting the approval

Leave Without Pay LWOP (continued)

An employee requesting LWOP is not required to exhaust all annual and/or sick leave to his/her credit before being granted LWOP

LWOP is an approved leave status and does not have a disciplinary connotation


Leave for “Parenting” Purposes

Length of maternity leave is determined by the employee, her physician, and her supervisor

Appropriate leave use for maternity reasons: Sick leave for period of incapacitation due to

delivery and recuperation Advanced sick leave may be granted for period of

incapacitation due to delivery and recuperation LWOP may be substituted for sick or annual leave Employees may use annual, sick, or LWOP to

assist with or care for his/her minor children, or the mother of his/her newborn child while incapacitated for maternity reasons

Leave for Religious Purposes

Employee may elect to earn compensatory time (CT) in order to use CT to meet religious obligations

Employee must state in writing, the date and time being requested, along with a proposal for when the CT will be earned

Supervisors are encouraged to accommodate and approve such requests

Credit Hours

Hours worked in excess of basic work requirement at employee’s election under the flexi-tour work schedule

With supervisor approval, employees may earn a maximum of two credit hours on a scheduled workday

Full-time employees may carry a maximum of 24 credit hours from one pay period to another

Supervisor has authority to approve or deny employee’s request to use credit hours

Compensatory Time

Hours worked in excess of basic work requirement at supervisor’s direction

Must be used before employee may be granted annual leave, provided it will not result in the employee forfeiting accrued annual leave

Must be used within 26 pay periods from the pay period in which it was earned, or Paid to non-exempt employees Forfeited by exempt employees (as of May 26, 2007)

Home Leave

Employees assigned to duty locations outside the U.S. are eligible to earn home leave for each 12 months of Service abroad

Military Leave

Absence with full pay for certain types of active duty, active duty training, and inactive duty training

A member of the National Guard or Reserves is eligible to receive 15 days military leave each fiscal year and may carry 15 days over from the prior year

Granted to an eligible part-time employee on a prorated basis

Use must be supported by military orders directing the employee to report for duty

Excused Absence

Excused absence and administrative leave are interchangeable terms

Approved absence during regular tour of duty without loss of pay, and without charge to other types of leave

Reason must always reflect favorably upon the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Federal government

No “automatic” entitlement to administrative leave

Qualification Examination

Administrative leave may be authorized when exam is required for: Current position A position the Agency has recommended the

employee be transferred, promoted, or reassigned to, OR

Professional licensure or certification which is considered advantageous to NRCS

Includes actual examination time Requires state conservationist approval

Court Leave

Authorized when employee is: Summoned to serve as a juror in a judicial proceeding Summoned as a witness in a judicial proceeding in which the

Federal, state, or local government is a party Does not include administrative proceedings (i.e., Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC], Merit Systems Protection Board [MSPB], or arbitration

hearings)

NOTE: When summoned as a witness in an “official” capacity on behalf of the Federal government, the employee is on official duty.

Funeral Leave

Authorized for: Veterans actively participating in a funeral service

for military personnel whose remains are returned from overseas

Immediate relatives of military members who died as a result of serving in a combat zone

Amount of time is defined in General Manual Title 360, Part 415, Subpart A

Requires supervisor approval

Change of Official Duty Station

An employee relocates his/her primary residence in the interest of the Federal government

Employee may be authorized up to 80 hours for pre- and post-moving activities


Preventive Health

Time authorized for medical screening and prevention programs for employees with less than 80 hours accrued sick leave

Four hour maximum per leave year for eligible employees


Before/After Official Travel

Time before and/or after travel, when it is impractical to report for duty

Maximum of two hours Authorized by the supervisor

Time Off for Voting

Granted in limited circumstances Length of time authorized depends on

employee’s location and how long polls are open after regular work hours


On-the-Job Injury

Administrative leave is authorized for the remainder of the duty day when an employee is injured: Performing authorized duties During the regularly scheduled tour of duty, AND The employee seeks medical treatment

Bone Marrow and Organ Donation

Up to seven days per year may be authorized for bone marrow donation

Up to 30 days per year may be granted for organ donation

Detailed medical documentation must be provided to immediate supervisor

Annual and/or sick leave may be granted in conjunction with this excused absence


Blood Donation

Employees donating blood, for which there is no compensation, may be excused from work without charge to annual or sick leave

Amount of administrative leave authorized: Actual time required to make the donation Four hours for rest and recuperation after donation

Requires supervisor approval Employees who receive compensation for blood

donation during duty hours are required to take annual/sick leave

Volunteer Activities

Administrative leave may be granted for: Officially sanctioned volunteer activities Volunteer activities directly related to the NRCS

mission, OR Activities that may enhance the professional

development of an employee

Requires supervisor approval Requires second-level supervisor concurrence

Office Closure - Hazardous Weather or Other Safety Reasons

If situation occurs before work day begins Employee will be notified by supervisor as soon as possible No charge to annual leave (A/L), even if situation improves

during work day If situation develops during work day

No charge to A/L from actual dismissal time to end of work day Employee may request and be granted A/L between notice of

dismissal and actual dismissal time Employees on scheduled leave, not planning to return to work,

will be charged leave through the end of the work day If employee’s area of residence is affected, he/she may

be excused without charge to A/L Under severe weather conditions, tardiness

not-to-exceed two hours may be excused without charge to leave

Sick Leave

Approved absence when employee is unable to work due to illness, injury, or pregnancy and confinement

May be used for medical, dental, or optical exam or treatment

Full-time employees accrue four hours per pay period; part-time employees accrue prorated amount

Requires supervisor approval May require medical documentation

Sick Leave Usage

Leave for pre-arranged medical, dental, or optical exams or treatment should be requested in advance

If employee becomes ill while on annual leave, sick leave may be substituted for period of illness

Supervisor will determine if documentation provided is sufficient to authorize sick leave use


Sick Leave for Adoption

Sick leave is appropriate for: Appointments with adoption agencies, social

workers, or attorneys Court proceedings Required travel for such purposes Activity necessary for the adoption to proceed

Advanced sick leave may be requested when the urgency of the situation requires the employee’s absence

Supervisor should request evidence of adoption-related activities

Advanced Sick Leave

Supervisor may advance five days sick leave, regardless of whether the employee has annual leave to his/her credit

State conservationist may advance up to 30 days, or 240 hours

Sick leave should not be advanced if employee: Is not expected to return to duty Has filed for disability retirement Has submitted a resignation or received notice of

separation, furlough, or RIF, OR Is on leave restriction

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Most employees are entitled up to a total of 12 workweeks of UNPAID leave during any 12-month period for the following purposes:

Birth and care of a son or daughter Placement of child for adoption or foster care Care of spouse, child, or parent with a serious health

condition or medical emergency, OR Serious health condition or medical emergency of the

employee that restricts ability to perform the essential functions of his/her position

Use of Leave Under FMLA (FMLA)

Leave requested under the FMLA may be used intermittently

Employees may elect to substitute annual leave and/or sick leave for the unpaid leave, consistent with current policy

FMLA Election (FMLA)

Employees must invoke the use of leave under the FMLA on Form OPM-71, in advance

Supporting medical documentation is required Employees cannot be required to use accrued

leave, rather than LWOP

Reporting FMLA Use (FMLA)

Timekeeper will: Record hours used in WebTCAS Make appropriate notation in the “Remarks” section

of the employee’s WebTCAS record Maintain employee file containing all FMLA-related

documents Notify employee and supervisor when the 12-week

limit is near Supervisor will:

Grant employee the leave to which he/she is entitled Ensure receipt of proper medical certification

Family Member Definition (FMLA)

The following are considered family members under the FMLA: Son or daughter who is biological, adopted, stepchild,

or legal ward Spouse, husband, or wife by legal union, including

common law marriages between a man and a woman, where legal

Child who is given 24-hour foster care by, or with an agreement with the state of residence

Biological parent or an individual who substituted as a parent to the employee when the employee was a child

Does not include in-laws

Serious Health Condition (FMLA)

An illness, injury, surgery, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves: Inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residence

care facility Continuing outpatient therapy or treatment by a

licensed or certified health care provider A reasonable recovery period Continuing medical evaluations or examinations

Does NOT cover short-term conditions for which treatment and recovery are brief; these conditions are covered by normal sick leave policies

FMLA Protection (FMLA)

Job benefits and protection: Upon return from FMLA leave, an employee must be

returned to: The same position, or To an “equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay,

status, and other terms and conditions of employment”

An employee who invokes FMLA is entitled to maintain health benefits coverage


Family Care or Bereavement

Formerly called “Family Friendly Leave” Limited use of sick leave to:

Provide care for a family member incapacitated as a result of physical or mental illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth

Accompany family member to medical, dental, or optical examinations

Make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or to attend the funeral of a family member


Full-time employees may use up to 104 hours (13 days) sick leave per leave year for general family care or bereavement purposes

Office of Personnel Management removed the requirement of maintaining an 80-hour sick leave balance 9/18/2006

Employees should request this leave in advance, when possible, and record time used appropriately in WebTCAS


Family Member Definition

The use of sick leave for general family care or bereavement of a family member is appropriate for:

Spouse and his/her parents Children, including adopted children, and their

spouses Parents Brothers and sisters, and their spouses, AND Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close

association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship


Sick Leave to Care for a Family Member with a Serious Health Condition

Employee with an adequate sick leave balance may use up to 12 weeks (480 hours) of sick leave each leave year to care for a family member with a “serious health condition”

Any portion of the 13 days sick leave used for general family care or bereavement purposes in a leave year must be subtracted from this 12-week entitlement

“Serious Health Condition” Definition

Includes such conditions as cancer, heart attacks, strokes, severe injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, complications due to pregnancy and/or childbirth, etc.

The term is not intended to cover short-term conditions for which treatment and recovery are very brief (e.g., colds, flu, etc.)


Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP)

Allows Federal employees who have exhausted their annual and sick leave balances to accept leave donations from other Federal employees

Allows Federal employees to donate annual leave to another Federal employee who has a personal or family medical emergency, and who has exhausted all of his/her own annual and sick leave accruals

Terms as Defined in the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program

Family Member Medical Emergency Leave Donor Leave Recipient Leave Transfer Coordinator Serious Health Condition

NOTE: Click on a topic for definition. Press the “ESC” key to return to the previous menu.

Family Member Definition(VLTP)

Family members include: Spouse and his/her parents Children, including adopted children, and spouses Parents Brothers and sisters, and spouses, AND Any individual related by blood or affinity whose

close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship

NOTE: Click to return for more terms

Medical Emergency(VLTP)

Illness, injury, surgery, impairment, or physical or mental condition of an employee or employee’s family member

Likely to require the employee’s absence from duty for a prolonged period of time, AND

Results in an substantial loss of income (at least 24 hours for a full-time employee) due to the absence of accrued sick or annual leave


Leave Donor(VLTP)

Leave-earning employee willing to donate earned annual leave to an approved leave recipient


Leave Recipient(VLTP)

Eligibility requirements: Must be in a leave-earning category Experiencing serious health condition or medical

emergency of a personal nature, or that of a family member

Absence would result in an unpaid status of at least 24 hours for a full-time employee

All earned annual and sick leave balances have been exhausted


Leave Transfer Coordinator(VLTP)

Human Resources Staff member usually administers the VLTP

For Kansas, the staff professional is:

Debbie Kaiden, (785) 823-4511

Email: [email protected]


“Serious Health Condition”(VLTP)



Covers employee and eligible family members


Application Forms(VLTP)

Form AD-1043, Donor Application Form AD-1046, Recipient Application

Available at: http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/forms/frequent.html

Medical Documentation(VLTP)

Must be on physician’s or medical facility letterhead

Must state beginning and anticipated ending date of medical emergency

Must include diagnoses/prognosis Signed and dated by medical practitioner

Recipient Application Procedures(VLTP)

Employee, or designee, must complete Form AD-1046, Recipient Application

Obtain supporting medical documentation from physician

Submit Form AD-1046, along with supporting documentation, to supervisor for concurrence and approval to become a leave recipient

Supervisor’s Responsibility(VLTP)

Verify that supporting medical documentation is sufficient to approve recipient application (Form AD-1046)

Forward Form AD-1046 along with supporting medical documentation to the leave transfer coordinator for processing

Monitor use of donated leave Consult with Human Resources Staff if the

validity of request is in question

Timekeeper’s Responsibility(VLTP)

Make appropriate leave adjustments to recipient’s WebTCAS record

Maintain “set-aside” record of recipient’s own leave accruals (limited to 40 hours of annual leave and 40 hours of sick leave while in the program)

Recredit set-aside accruals to recipient when medical emergency ends, or all donated leave is exhausted

Role of Donor(VLTP)

Select an approved leave recipient listed on the my.NRCS Web site

Complete Form AD-1043, Donor Application Forward Form AD-1043 to human resources

for certification of current annual leave balance

Limitations on Donating Leave (VLTP)

Donor may donate annual leave: In one hour increments Up to one half the leave he/she will earn in a leave

year, OR Up to the number of work hours remaining in a leave

year

Employee may not donate leave to his/her supervisor


Does NRCS have a leave bank?

No. Agencies may either permit employees to donate leave to a specific employee, OR they may establish a leave bank to which employees may donate leave. The “manager” of the leave bank determines how many hours are donated to whom.

NRCS has chosen to support employees by allowing donation of leave to specific individuals without a “leave manager” being involved.


Employees with an adequate sick leave balance may use a total of 12 weeks (480 hours) sick leave each leave year to care for a family member with a “serious health condition”

Any portion of the 13-days sick leave used for general family care or bereavement purposes in a leave year must be subtracted from this 12-week entitlement

Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP)

Allows Federal employees to donate annual leave to another federal employee who has a personal or family medical emergency, and who has exhausted all of his/her own sick and annual leave


Does NRCS have a leave bank?

No. Agencies may either permit employees to donate leave to a specific employee, OR they may establish a leave bank to which employees may donate leave. The “manager” of the leave bank determines how many hours are donated to whom.

NRCS has chosen to support individuals by allowing the donation of leave to specific employees without a “leave manager” being involved.

Definitions

Family Member Medical Emergency Leave Donor Leave Recipient Leave Transfer Coordinator


Formerly called “Family Friendly Leave” Limited use of sick leave to:

Provide care for a family member incapacitated as a result of physical or mental illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth

Accompany family member to medical, dental, or optical examination

Make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or attend the funeral of a family member


Limited amount: Full-time employee may use up to 104 hours (13 days) of sick leave per leave year Pro-rated amount for part-time employees

Employees will request sick leave in advance, when possible, and record time used appropriately in WebTCAS

Family Member Definition

Family members include: Spouse and his/her parents Children, including adopted children, and spouses Parents Brothers and sisters, and their spouses, AND Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close

association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship


Employee with an adequate sick leave balance may use 12 weeks (480 hours) sick leave each leave year to care for a family member with a “serious health condition”

Any portion of the 13-days sick leave used for general family care or bereavement purposes in a leave year must be subtracted from this 12-week entitlement

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Most employees are entitled to a total of up to 12 workweeks of UNPAID leave during any 12-month period for the following purposes: Birth and care of a son or daughter Adoption or foster care Care of spouse, child, or parent who has a serious

health condition or medical emergency, OR Serious health condition or medical emergency of the

employee that restricts ability to perform the essential functions of his/her position

May be used intermittently

FMLA Use

Employee may elect to substitute annual leave and/or sick leave, consistent with current laws, for any unpaid leave under the FMLA

Supervisor cannot require employees to use accrued annual or sick leave accruals, rather than LWOP

May be used intermittently

Procedures for Requesting FMLA

Employees must invoke FMLA on Form OPM-71 in advance, when possible

Supporting medical documentation is required and must be submitted with leave request

FMLA (continued)

Timekeeper will: Ensure the number of FMLA hours used during the

current pay period are recorded properly and noted in the “Remarks” section of the employee’s WebTCAS record

Maintain an employee file containing all FMLA-related documents

Notify the employee and supervisor when the 12-week limit is near

Supervisor will: Grant qualified employee their entitlement to family

and medical leave Ensure receipt of proper medical certification

FMLAFamily Member Definition

The following are considered family members under the FMLA: Son or daughter who is biological, adopted, stepchild,

or legal ward Spouse, husband, or wife by legal union, including

common law marriages between a man and a woman, where legal

Child who is given 24-hour foster care by, or with an agreement with, the state of residence

Parent who is a biological parent or an individual who substituted as a parent to the employee when the employee was a child.

Does not include in-laws

FMLASerious Health Condition

An illness, injury, surgery, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves: Inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or resident care

facility Continuing outpatient therapy or treatment by a

licensed or certified health care provider A health patient recovery period Continuing medical evaluations or examinations

Does NOT cover short-term conditions for which treatment and recovery are brief; these conditions are covered by normal annual and sick leave policies

FMLA Protection

Job benefits and protection: Upon return from FMLA leave, an employee

must be returned to: The same position, OR To an “equivalent position with equivalent benefits,

pay, status, and other terms and conditions of employment”

An employee who invokes FMLA is entitled to maintain health benefits coverage

Holiday Leave USDA approved holidays:

New Year’s Day, January 1st Martin Luther King’s birthday, 3rd Monday in January President’s Day, 3rd Monday in February Memorial Day, last Monday in May Independence Day, July 4th Labor Day, 1st Monday in September Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October Veteran’s Day, November 11th

Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November Christmas Day, December 25th

Inauguration Day (D.C. metropolitan area only)

Holiday Leave (continued)

Holidays occurring on Sunday will be observed on Monday

Holidays occurring on Saturday will be observed on Friday

A full-time employee who is prevented from working on a holiday is entitled to an “in lieu of” holiday

A part-time employee is entitled to the corresponding hours of his/her tour, if scheduled to work on the holiday

Part-time employees are not entitled to an “in lieu of” holiday if holiday falls on a non-workday


LEAVE. Navigating this Presentation Hyperlinks are underlined text, such as “Title,” that may...

Documents

Transcript of LEAVE. Navigating this Presentation Hyperlinks are underlined text, such as “Title,” that may...