33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1968, unless otherwise noted.
The head of an agency having employees subject to this part is responsible for the proper administration of this part so far as it pertains to employees under his jurisdiction, and for maintaining an account of leave for each employee in accordance with methods prescribed by the General Accounting Office.
[34 FR 13655, Aug. 26, 1969]
(a) In section 6301(2)(iii) of title 5, United States Code, the term temporary employee engaged in construction work at an hourly rate means an employee hired on a temporary basis solely for the purpose of work on a specific construction project and paid on an hourly rate.
(b) In subparts B through G of this part:
Accrued leave means the leave earned by an employee during the current leave year that is unused at any given time in that year.
Accumulated leave means the unused leave remaining to the credit of an employee at the beginning of the leave year.
Agency means an Executive agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105, and any other entity of the Federal Government that employs officers and employees to whom subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, applies.
Committed relationship means one in which the employee, and the domestic partner of the employee, are each other's sole domestic partner (and are not married to or domestic partners with anyone else); and share responsibility for a significant measure of each other's common welfare and financial obligations. This includes, but is not limited to, any relationship between two individuals of the same or opposite sex that is granted legal recognition by a State or by the District of Columbia as a marriage or analogous relationship (including, but not limited to, a civil union).
Domestic partner means an adult in a committed relationship with another adult, including both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.
Employee means an employee to whom subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, applies.
Family member means an individual with any of the following relationships to the employee:
(1) Spouse, and parents thereof;
(2) Sons and daughters, and spouses thereof;
(3) Parents, and spouses thereof;
(4) Brothers and sisters, and spouses thereof;
(5) Grandparents and grandchildren, and spouses thereof;
(6) Domestic partner and parents thereof, including domestic partners of any individual in paragraphs (2) through (5) of this definition; and
(7) Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.
Health care provider has the meaning given that term in § 630.1202.
Leave year means the period beginning with the first day of the first complete pay period in a calendar year and ending with the day immediately before the first day of the first complete pay period in the following calendar year.
Medical certificate means a written statement signed by a registered practicing physician or other practitioner certifying to the incapacitation, examination, or treatment, or to the period of disability while the patient was receiving professional treatment.
Parent means—
(1) A biological, adoptive, step, or foster parent of the employee, or a person who was a foster parent of the employee when the employee was a minor;
(2) A person who is the legal guardian of the employee or was the legal guardian of the employee when the employee was a minor or required a legal guardian;
(3) A person who stands in loco parentis to the employee or stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis; or
(4) A parent, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this definition, of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.
Serious health condition has the meaning given that term in § 630.1202.
Son or daughter means—
(1) A biological, adopted, step, or foster son or daughter of the employee;
(2) A person who is a legal ward or was a legal ward of the employee when that individual was a minor or required a legal guardian;
(3) A person for whom the employee stands in loco parentis or stood in loco parentis when that individual was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis; or
(4) A son or daughter, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this definition, of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.
Uncommon tour of duty means an established tour of duty that exceeds 80 hours of work in a biweekly pay period, provided the tour—
(1) Includes hours for which the employee is compensated by standby duty pay under 5 U.S.C. 5545(c)(1) and § 550.141 of this chapter;
(2) Is a regular tour of duty (as defined in § 550.1302 of this chapter) established for firefighters compensated under 5 U.S.C. 5545b and part 550, subpart M, of this chapter; or
(3) Is authorized for a category of employees by the Office of Personnel Management.
United States means the several States and the District of Columbia.
[61 FR 64450, Dec. 5, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 64595, Nov. 23, 1998; 65 FR 37239, June 13, 2000; 71 FR 54570, Sept. 18, 2006; 75 FR 33495, June 14, 2010]
(a) Full-time employees. A full-time employee earns leave during each full biweekly pay period while in a pay status or in a combination of a pay status and a nonpay status.
(b) Part-time employees. Hours in a pay status in excess of an agency's basic working hours in a pay period are disregarded in computing the leave earnings of a part-time employee.
[33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended at 55 FR 6595, Feb. 26, 1990]
An employee paid on other than a biweekly pay period basis earns leave on a pro rata basis for a full pay period.
When an employee's service is interrupted by a non-leave-earning period, he earns leave on a pro rata basis for each fractional pay period that occurs within the continuity of his employment.
(a) The head of an agency or his or her designee may, at his or her sole discretion, provide credit for service that otherwise would not be creditable under 5 U.S.C. 6303(a) for the purpose of determining the annual leave accrual rate of an individual receiving his or her first appointment (regardless of tenure) as a civilian employee of the Federal Government or an employee who is reappointed following a break in service of at least 90 calendar days after his or her last period of civilian Federal employment. The head of the agency or his or her designee must determine that the skills and experience the employee possesses are—
(1) Essential to the new position and were acquired through performance in a prior position having duties that directly relate to the duties of the position to which he or she is being appointed; and
(2) Necessary to achieve an important agency mission or performance goal.
(b) Notwithstanding 5 U.S.C. 6303(a), the head of an agency or his or her designee may, at his or her sole discretion, provide credit for active duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable under 5 U.S.C. 6303(a) for the purpose of determining the annual leave accrual rate of an employee who is a retired member of a uniformed service as defined by 38 U.S.C. 4303. The head of the agency or his or her designee must determine that the skills and experience the employee possesses are—
(1) Essential to the new position and were acquired through performance in a position in the uniformed services having duties that directly relate to the duties of the position to which he or she is being appointed; and
(2) Necessary to achieve an important agency mission or performance goal.
(c) When the head of an agency or his or her designee makes a determination to provide service credit for prior work experience or active duty in the uniformed services under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, he or she must determine the amount of service that will be credited. The amount of service credited may not exceed the actual amount of service during which the employee performed duties directly related to the position to which the employee is being appointed.
(d) An employee must provide written documentation, acceptable to the agency, of his or her prior work experience. An employee must provide written documentation from the military, acceptable to the agency, of his or her uniformed service. The head of an agency or his or her designee must make the determination to approve an employee's qualifying prior work experience before the employee enters on duty.
(e) The agency must establish documentation and recordkeeping procedures sufficient to allow reconstruction of each action.
(f)
(1) Credit for prior work experience or experience in a uniformed service under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section is granted to the employee upon the effective date of his or her initial appointment to the agency or reappointment after a 90-day break in service and remains creditable for annual leave accrual purposes thereafter unless the employee fails to complete 1 full year of continuous service with the appointing agency.
(2) If an employee is placed in a leave without pay status during the 1-year period of continuous service required by paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the 1-year period of continuous service must be extended by the amount of time in a leave without pay unless—
(i) The employee separates or is placed in a leave without pay status to perform service in the uniformed services (as defined in 38 U.S.C. 4303 and 5 CFR 353.102) and later returns to civilian service through the exercise of a reemployment right provided by law, Executive order, or regulation; or
(ii) The employee separates or is placed in a leave without pay status because of an on-the-job injury with entitlement to injury compensation under 5 U.S.C. chapter 81 and later recovers sufficiently to return to work.
(g) If an employee separates from Federal service or transfers to another agency before completing 1 full year of continuous service with the appointing agency—
(1) Any credit under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section must be subtracted from the employee's total creditable service before the employee transfers or separates, and the agency must establish a new service computation date for leave accrual purposes under 5 U.S.C. 6303(a);
(2) Any annual leave accrued or accumulated by an employee as a result of receiving credit for service under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section remains to the credit of the employee; and
(3) The agency must—
(i) Transfer the annual leave balance to the new employing agency under 5 CFR 630.501 if the employee is transferring to a position to which annual leave may be transferred; or
(ii) Make a lump-sum payment under 5 CFR 550.1205 for any unused annual leave if the employee is separating from Federal service or moving to a position to which annual leave cannot be transferred.
[70 FR 22246, Apr. 29, 2005, as amended at 71 FR 54570, Sept. 18, 2006]
(a) Unless an agency establishes a minimum charge of less than one hour, or establishes a different minimum charge through negotiations, the minimum charge for leave is one hour, and additional charges are in multiples thereof. If an employee is unavoidably or necessarily absent for less than one hour, or tardy, the agency, for adequate reason, may excuse him without charge to leave.
(b) When an employee is charged with leave for an unauthorized absence or tardiness, the agency may not require him to perform work for any part of the leave period charged against his account.
[33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended at 38 FR 18446, July 11, 1973; 38 FR 26601, Sept. 24, 1973]
The travel time granted an employee under section 6303(d) of title 5, United States Code, is inclusive of the time necessarily occupied in traveling to and from his post of duty and (a) the United States, or (b) his place of residence, which is outside the area of employment, in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the territories or possessions of the United States. The employee shall designate his place of residence in his request for leave under section 6303(d) of title 5, United States Code.
(a) When the number of hours in a nonpay status in a full-time employee's leave year equals the number of basepay hours in a pay period, the agency shall reduce his credits for leave by an amount equal to the amount of leave the employee earns during the pay period. When the employee's number of hours of nonpay status does not require a reduction of leave credits, the agency shall drop those hours at the end of the employee's leave year. For the purpose of determining the reduction of leave credits under this paragraph when an employee has one or more breaks in service during a leave year, the agency shall include all hours in a nonpay status (other than nonpay status during a fractional pay period when no leave accrues) for each period of service during the leave year in which annual leave accrued.
(b) An employee who is in a nonpay status for his entire leave year does not earn leave.
(c) When a reduction in leave credits results in a debit to an employee's annual leave account at the end of a leave year, the agency shall:
(1) Carry the debit forward as a charge against the annual leave to be earned by the employee in the next leave year; or
(2) Require the employee to refund the amount paid him for the period covering the excess leave that resulted in the debit.
(d) A period covered by an employee's refund for unearned advanced leave is deemed not a nonpay status under this section.
(a) When an employee who is indebted for unearned leave is separated, the agency shall:
(1) Require him to refund the amount paid him for the period covering the leave for which he is indebted; or
(2) Deduct that amount from any pay due him.
An employee who enters active military service with a right of restoration is deemed not separated for the purpose of this paragraph.
(b) This section does not apply when an employee:
(1) Dies;
(2) Retires for disability; or
(3) Resigns or is separated because of disability which prevents him from returning to duty or continuing in the service, and which is the basis of the separation as determined by his agency on medical evidence acceptable to it.
(a) An agency may require that an employee with an uncommon tour of duty accrue and use leave on the basis of that uncommon tour of duty. The leave accrual rates for such employees shall be directly proportional (based on the number of hours in the biweekly tour of duty and the accrual rate of the corresponding leave category) to the standard leave accrual rates for employees who accrue and use leave on the basis of an 80-hour biweekly tour of duty. One hour (or appropriate fraction thereof) of leave shall be charged for each hour (or appropriate fraction thereof) of absence from the uncommon tour of duty.
(b) When an employee is converted to a different tour of duty for leave purposes, his or her leave balances shall be converted to the proper number of hours based on the proportion of hours in the new tour of duty compared to the former tour of duty.
(c) An agency shall establish an uncommon tour of duty for each firefighter compensated under part 550, subpart M, of this chapter. The uncommon tour of duty shall correspond directly to the firefighter's regular tour of duty, as defined in § 550.1302 of this chapter, so that each firefighter accrues and uses leave on the basis of that tour.
(d) In applying § 550.805(g) of this chapter, and §§ 630.306(b), and 630.310(d), the referenced number of hours for full-time employees (416 hours and 208 hours) shall be proportionally adjusted based on the percentage amount by which the number of hours in the uncommon tour of duty exceeds the number of hours in a regular full-time tour of duty. For example, if the uncommon tour of duty consists of 120 hours in a biweekly pay period instead of the 80 hours for a regular full-time employee, the percentage adjustment would be 50 percent [(120/80) − 1]; accordingly, 416 hours would be converted to 624 hours and 208 hours would be converted to 312 hours.
[59 FR 66635, Dec. 28, 1994, as amended at 63 FR 64595, Nov. 23, 1998; 67 FR 15467, Apr. 2, 2002; 85 FR 48101, Aug. 10, 2020]
(a) Authority.
(1) Section 6301(2)(xi) of title 5, United States Code, authorizes the President to exclude certain Presidential appointees in the executive branch or the government of the District of Columbia from the annual and sick leave provisions of subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, and from the related provisions of this part.
(2) The President, by Executive Order 10540, as amended, has delegated to the Office of Personnel Management the responsibility for making exclusions under section 6301(2)(xi), and the Office of Personnel Management has delegated responsibility to the head of each agency consistent with the provisions of this section.
(3) Presidential appointees in positions where the rate of basic pay is equal to or exceeds the rate for level V of the Executive Schedule are already excluded from the annual and sick leave provisions by 5 U.S.C. 6301(2)(x). Therefore, no further action by an agency is necessary to exclude these appointees.
(b) Criteria for exclusions. The head of an agency may exclude an officer in the agency from the annual and sick leave provisions only if the officer meets all of the following criteria:
(1) The officer is a Presidential appointee;
(2) The officer is not a United States attorney or United States marshal; and
(3) The officer's responsibilities for carrying out the duties of the position continue outside normal duty hours and while away from the normal duty post.
(c) Revocation of exclusion. The head of an agency may revoke an exclusion from the annual and sick leave provisions which was made under this section.
(d) Reports. The head of an agency must report any exclusion, or revocation of an exclusion, authorized under this section to the Office of Personnel Management.
(e) Continuation of previous authorizations. Any officer in an agency who was excluded by action of the President or the Civil Service Commission prior to February 15, 1979, from the annual and sick leave provisions under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 6301(2)(xi) shall continue to be excluded from annual and sick leave unless the exclusion is revoked by the agency under the provisions of this section.
[44 FR 54694, Sept. 21, 1979, as amended at 56 FR 18663, Apr. 23, 1991]
(a) An employee may elect to use annual leave and remain on the agency's rolls in order to establish initial eligibility for immediate retirement under 5 U.S.C. 8336, 8412, or 8414, and/or to establish initial eligibility under 5 U.S.C. 8905 to continue health benefits coverage into retirement, as provided in:
(1) Section 351.606(b)(1) for an employee who would otherwise have been separated by reduction in force procedures under part 351 of this chapter; or
(2) Section 351.606(b)(2) of this chapter for an employee who would otherwise have been separated by adverse action procedures under authority of part 752 of this chapter because of the employee's decision to decline relocation (including transfer of function).
(b)
(1) Annual leave that may be used for the purposes described in paragraph (a) of this section includes all accumulated, accrued, and restored annual leave to the employee's credit prior to the effective date of the reduction in force or relocation (including transfer of function) and annual leave earned by an employee while in a paid leave status after the effective date of the reduction in force or relocation (including transfer of function).
(2) Annual leave that is advanced to an employee under 5 U.S.C. 6302(d), including any advance annual leave that may be credited to an employee's leave account after the effective date of the reduction in force or relocation (including transfer of function), may not be used for purpose of this section.
(3) For purposes of this section, the employing agency may approve the use of any or all annual leave donated to an employee under part 630, subpart I, of this chapter (Voluntary Leave Transfer Program), or made available to the employee under part 630, subpart J, of this chapter (Voluntary Leave Bank Program), as of the effective date of the reduction in force or relocation.
[62 FR 10683, Mar. 10, 1997]
(a) Annual leave accrues at the rate of 1 day (8 hours) for each full biweekly pay period for an employee who is covered by 5 U.S.C. 6301, who is employed for the full pay period, and who—
(1) Holds a position in the Senior Executive Service (SES) which is subject to 5 U.S.C. 5383; or
(2) Holds a senior-level (SL) or scientific or professional (ST) position which is subject to 5 U.S.C. 5376.
(b) The head of an agency may request that OPM authorize an annual leave accrual rate of 1 full day (8 hours) for each biweekly pay period for additional categories of employees who are covered by 5 U.S.C. 6301 and who hold positions that are determined by OPM to be equivalent to positions subject to the pay systems under 5 U.S.C. 5383 or 5376. Such a request must include documentation that the affected pay system is equivalent to the SES or SL/ST pay system because it meets all three of the following conditions:
(1) Pay rates are established under an administratively determined (AD) pay system that was created under a separate statutory authority. If an AD position has a single rate of pay established under an authority outside of 5 U.S.C. chapters 51 and 53, that single rate (excluding locality pay) must be higher than the rate for GS-15, step 10 (excluding locality pay). If an AD position is paid within a rate range established under an authority outside of 5 U.S.C. chapters 51 and 53, the minimum rate of the rate range (excluding locality pay) must be at least equal to the minimum rate for the SES and SL/ST pay systems (120 percent of the rate for GS-15, step 1, excluding locality pay), and the maximum rate of the rate range (excluding locality pay) must be at least equal to the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule;
(2) Covered positions are equivalent to a “Senior Executive Service position” as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3132(a)(2), a senior-level position (i.e., a non-executive position that is classified above GS-15, such as a high-level special assistant or a senior attorney in a highly-specialized field who is not a manager, supervisor, or policy advisor), or a scientific or professional position as described in 5 U.S.C. 3104; and
(3) Covered positions are subject to a performance appraisal system established under 5 U.S.C. chapter 43 and 5 CFR part 430, subparts B and C, or other applicable legal authority, for planning, monitoring, developing, evaluating, and rewarding employee performance.
(c) If OPM approves an agency's request to cover additional categories of employees, the higher annual leave accrual rate will become effective for the pay period during which OPM approves the agency's request. Agencies must credit annual leave at the 8-hour accrual rate for affected employees who are employed for the full pay period.
(d) An employee who moves to a position not covered by this section will no longer be entitled to the higher annual leave accrual rate established under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, except as provided in 5 U.S.C. 6303(a). Upon movement to a noncovered position, an employee's annual leave accrual rate must be determined based on his or her years of creditable service, as provided in 5 U.S.C. 6303(a).
(e) Unused annual leave accrued by an employee while serving in a position subject to one of the pay systems under 5 U.S.C. 5383 (Senior Executive Service) or 5 U.S.C. 5376 (Senior-Level and Scientific or Professional) or 10 U.S.C. 1607(a) (Intelligence Senior Level), shall accumulate for use in succeeding years until it totals not more than 90 days (720 hours) at the beginning of the first full biweekly pay period (or corresponding period for an employee who is not paid on the basis of biweekly pay periods) occurring in a calendar year.
(f) When an employee in a position outside of those listed in paragraph (e) of this section moves to a position covered by paragraph (e) of this section, any annual leave accumulated prior to movement shall remain to the employee's credit.
(1) Annual leave accumulated prior to movement to a position covered by paragraph (e) of this section that is in excess of the amount allowed for the former position by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a), (b), or (c) and that is not used by the beginning of the first full biweekly pay period in the next leave year shall be subject to forfeiture.
(2) If an employee serves less than a full pay period in a position listed in paragraph (e) of this section, only that portion of accrued annual leave that is attributable to service in such a position shall be subject to the 90-day (720-hour) limitation on accumulation of annual leave. Annual leave accrued during the remainder of the pay period shall be subject to the limitations in 5 U.S.C. 6304(a), (b), and (c), as appropriate.
(g) When an employee covered by paragraph (e) of this section moves to a position not covered by paragraph (e) of this section, any annual leave accumulated while serving in the former position that is in excess of the amount allowed for the position by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a), (b), or (c) shall remain to the employee's credit and shall be subject to reduction under procedures identical to those described in 5 U.S.C. 6304(c).
(h) An employee in the Senior Executive Service who, as of the first day of the first pay period beginning after October 13, 1994, has accumulated annual leave in excess of 90 days (720 hours) is entitled to retain that leave as a personal leave ceiling. The leave shall be credited to the employee and shall be subject to reduction in the following manner:
(1) Annual leave credited to an employee shall be based on the amount of annual leave accumulated by the employee as of the end of the pay period preceding the first pay period beginning after October 13, 1994. The credited leave shall exclude—
(i) Any annual leave restored to the employee under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d); and
(ii) Any annual leave advanced to the employee under 5 U.S.C. 6302(d) that had not yet been earned.
(2) Annual leave credited to an employee that is in excess of 90 days (720 hours) shall be subject to reduction in the same manner as provided in 5 U.S.C. 6304(c) until the employee's accumulated annual leave is equal to or less than 90 days (720 hours). For the 1994 leave year, 5 U.S.C. 6304(c) shall be applied only for leave earned and used between the start of the first pay period beginning after October 13, 1994, and the end of the 1994 leave year.
(i) Agencies shall notify affected employees and maintain records on the accumulated annual leave credited to each employee under paragraph (h) of this section and on any reductions in the credited annual leave made under 5 U.S.C. 6304(c). If the employee transfers to another agency, such records shall be provided to the gaining agency.
[59 FR 65705, Dec. 21, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 33328, June 28, 1995; 70 FR 13344, 13345, Mar. 21, 2005; 71 FR 61634, Oct. 19, 2006; 73 FR 18943, Apr. 8, 2008]
(a) The effective date on which an employee (otherwise eligible thereunder) becomes subject to section 6304(b) of title 5, United States Code, is the:
(1) Date of his entry on duty when he is employed locally;
(2) Date of his arrival at a post of regular assignment for duty; or
(3) Date on which he begins to perform duty in an area outside the United States and the area of recruitment or from which transferred, when the employee is required to perform duty en route to his post of regular assignment for duty.
(b) Subject to section 6304(c) of title 5, United States Code, the maximum amount of annual leave that may be carried forward into the next leave year by an employee who is transferred or reassigned to a position in which he is no longer subject to section 6304(b) of that title is determined as follows:
(1) When, on the date prescribed by paragraph (c) of this section, the amount of an employee's accumulated and accrued annual leave is 30 days or less, he may carry forward the amount prescribed by section 6304(a) of title 5, United States Code;
(2) When, on the date prescribed by paragraph (c) of this section, the amount of an employee's accumulated and accrued annual leave is more than 30 days but not more than 45 days, he may carry forward the full amount thereof that is unused at the end of the current leave year;
(3) When, on the date prescribed by paragraph (c) of this section, the amount of an employee's accumulated and accrued annual leave is more than 45 days, he may carry forward the amount of unused annual leave to his credit at the end of the current leave year that does not exceed:
(i) 45 days, if he is not entitled to a greater accumulation under section 6304(c) of title 5, United States Code; or
(ii) The amount he is entitled to accumulate under section 6304(c) of that title, if that amount is greater than 45 days.
(c) For the purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, an agency shall determine the amount of an employee's accumulated and accrued annual leave at the end of the pay period which includes:
(1) The date on which the employee departs from his post of regular assignment for transfer or reassignment, except that when the employee is required to perform duty en route in an area in which he would be subject to section 6304(b) of title 5, United States Code, if assigned there, it is the date on which he ceases to perform the duty; or
(2) The date on which final administrative approval is given to effect a change in the employee's duty station when he is on detail or leave in the United States, or in an area (the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a territory or possession of the United States) from which he was recruited or transferred.
A part-time employee for whom there has been established in advance a regular tour of duty on 1 or more days during each administrative workweek, and a part-time employee on a flexible work schedule for whom there has been established only a biweekly work requirement, earn annual leave as follows:
(a) An employee with less than 3 years of service earns 1 hour of annual leave for each 20 hours in a pay status.
(b) An employee with 3 but less than 15 years of service earns 1 hour of annual leave for each 13 hours in a pay status.
(c) An employee with 15 years or more of service earns 1 hour of annual leave for each 10 hours in a pay status.
[33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended at 48 FR 44061, Sept. 27, 1983]
A part-time employee may accumulate not more than 240 or 360 hours' annual leave on the same basis that a full-time employee may accumulate not more than 30 or 45 days' annual leave.
Before annual leave may be restored under 5 U.S.C. 6304, the determination that an exigency is of major importance and that therefore annual leave may not be used by employees to avoid forfeiture must be made by the head of the agency or someone designated to act for him or her on this matter. Except where made by the head of the agency, the determination may not be made by any official whose leave would be affected by the decision.
[53 FR 42933, Oct. 25, 1988]
(a) Except as otherwise authorized under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, § 630.310(d), or other regulation, annual leave restored under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d) must be scheduled and used not later than the end of the leave year ending 2 years after:
(1) The date of restoration of the annual leave forfeited because of administrative error; or
(2) The date fixed by the agency head, or his or her designee, as the termination date of the exigency of the public business that resulted in forfeiture of the annual leave; or
(3) The date the employee is determined to be recovered and able to return to duty if the leave was forfeited because of sickness.
(b) Annual leave restored to an employee under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3) must be scheduled and used within the time limits prescribed in paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section:
(1) A full-time employee shall schedule and use excess annual leave of 416 hours or less by the end of the leave year in progress 2 years after the date the employee is no longer subject to 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3). The agency shall extend this period by 1 leave year for each additional 208 hours of excess annual leave or any portion thereof.
(2) A part-time employee shall schedule and use excess annual leave in an amount equal to or less than 20 percent of the number of hours in the employee's scheduled annual tour of duty by the end of the leave year in progress 2 years after the date the employee is no longer subject to 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3). The agency shall extend this period by 1 leave year for each additional number of hours of excess annual leave, or any portion thereof, equal to 10 percent of the number of hours in the employee's scheduled annual tour of duty.
(c) The time limits established under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section for using restored annual leave accounts shall not apply for the entire period during which an employee is subject to 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3). When coverage under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3) ends, a new time limit shall be established under paragraph (b) of this section for all annual leave restored to an employee under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d).
[59 FR 62972, Dec. 7, 1994, as amended at85 FR 48101, Aug. 10, 2020 ]
Annual leave restored under section 5562 of title 5, United States Code, shall be used within a time limit to be prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management in each case taking into consideration the amount of the restored leave and other relevant factors.
[39 FR 1575, Jan. 11, 1974]
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and § 630.310, before annual leave forfeited under 5 U.S.C. 6304 may be considered for restoration under that section, use of the annual leave must have been scheduled in writing before the start of the third biweekly pay period prior to the end of the leave year.
(b) The requirement for advance scheduling of annual leave in paragraph (a) of this section shall not apply to an employee who is covered by 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3). When coverage under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3) terminates during a leave year, the employee shall make a reasonable effort to comply with the scheduling requirement in paragraph (a) of this section. The head of the agency or his or her designee may exempt employees from the advance scheduling requirement in paragraph (a) of this section if coverage under 6304(d)(3) terminated during the leave year and the employee was unable to comply with the advance scheduling requirement due to circumstances beyond his or her control.
[59 FR 62973, Dec. 7, 1994; 59 FR 65839, Dec. 21, 1994, as amended at 64 FR 46258, Aug. 25, 1999; 66 FR 55558, Nov. 2, 2001; 85 FR 48101, Aug. 10, 2020]
(a) Annual leave restored under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(1)(B) because of an extended exigency, as defined in paragraph (b) of this section, must be scheduled and used within a time period that equals twice the number of full calendar years, or parts thereof, that the exigency existed. This time period begins at the beginning of the leave year following the leave year in which the exigency is declared to be ended.
(b) An extended exigency means an exigency of such significance as to—
(1) Threaten the national security, safety, or welfare;
(2) Last more than 3 calendar years;
(3) Affect a segment of an agency or occupational class; and
(4) Preclude subsequent use of both restored and accrued annual leave within the time limit specified in § 630.306.
[50 FR 29937, July 23, 1985]
(a)
(1) The Director of OPM may deem a specific national emergency declared by the President under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601, et seq.) to be an exigency of the public business for the purpose of restoring forfeited annual leave under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(1)(B) and will notify agencies in writing when this decision is made.
(2) The head of each agency is responsible for the proper administration of this authority. All heads of agencies are required to establish and periodically update (as necessary) procedures to administer this authority so that these policies are in place and immediately available for use any time the Director of OPM notifies agencies of a determination under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(b)
(1) Once the Director of OPM has issued a notification to agencies under paragraph (a)(1), the head of each agency (or designee) must, in his or her sole and exclusive discretion, do the following:
(i) Make determinations identifying the specific employees or groups of employees who are performing services that are essential in responding to the national emergency designated as an exigency of the public business and who are thus qualified for coverage under this section; and
(ii) Inform covered employees in writing of any such determination and its application to them.
(2) A determination under paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section may not be made by any official whose leave would be affected by the determination.
(c) For any employee determined under paragraph (b) of this section to be covered under this section who forfeits annual leave under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(1)(B) at the beginning of a leave year, the forfeited annual leave is deemed to have been scheduled in advance for the purpose of 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(1)(B) and § 630.308.
(d) With respect to annual leave forfeited under paragraph (c) of this section, the annual leave must be restored under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(1)(B) subject to the following time limits:
(1) A full-time employee must schedule and use excess annual leave of 416 hours or less by the end of the leave year in progress 2 years after the date fixed by the agency head (or designee) under paragraph (f)(2) of this section as the termination date of the exigency of the public business. The agency must extend this period by 1 leave year for each additional 208 hours of excess annual leave or any portion thereof.
For an employee on an uncommon tour of duty, the conversion rules in § 630.210(d) regarding the referenced number of hours for full-time employees (416 hours and 208 hours) must be applied.
(2) A part-time employee must schedule and use excess annual leave in an amount equal to or less than 20 percent of the number of hours in the employee's scheduled annual tour of duty by the end of the leave year in progress 2 years after the date fixed by the agency head (or designee) under paragraph (f)(2) of this section as the termination date of the exigency of the public business. The agency must extend this period by 1 leave year for each additional number of hours of excess annual leave, or any portion thereof, equal to 10 percent of the number of hours in the employee's scheduled annual tour of duty.
(e) The time limits established under paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section for using restored annual leave accounts shall not apply for the entire period during which an employee's services are determined by the agency to be essential for the response to the national emergency. When coverage under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section ends due to the termination date of the exigency of the public business fixed by the agency under paragraph (f)(2), a new time limit will be established under paragraph (d) of this section for all annual leave restored to an employee under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d).
(f)
(1) The agency head (or designee) must continually monitor the agency response to the national emergency and determine whether the services of individual employees or groups of employees continue to be essential for the response to the emergency such that annual leave may not be scheduled according to the normal procedures described in § 630.308(a).
(2) The agency head (or designee) must fix a date as the termination date of the exigency of the public business for each employee or group of employees as provided in this paragraph. The exigency of the public business as it affects an individual employee or group of employees must be terminated on the date one of the following events occurs, whichever is earliest:
(i) When the President declares an end to the national emergency;
(ii) When the Director of OPM deems the national emergency to no longer be an exigency of the public business for purposes of this authority;
(iii) When the agency head (or designee), in his or her sole and exclusive discretion, determines that the services of an employee or group of employees are no longer essential to the response to the national emergency or that such employees are able to follow the normal leave scheduling procedures in § 630.308(a);
(iv) On the day that is 12 months after the national emergency has been declared, an agency head (or designee), in his or her sole and exclusive discretion, may extend this deadline annually by an additional 12 months; under no circumstances may an agency grant more than two 12-month extensions under this paragraph in connection with any national emergency (however, § 630.309 may apply in the case of an extended exigency); or
(v) When an employee whose services were determined to be essential during the national emergency moves to a position not involving services determined by the agency to be essential to the response to the national emergency.
(3) The agency head (or designee) must inform both the affected employees and the agency payroll provider in writing of the termination date as determined in paragraph (f)(2) of this section.
(g) When the agency head (or designee) fixes a termination date of the exigency of the public business under paragraph (f) of this section, each affected employee must make a reasonable effort to comply with the scheduling requirement in § 630.308(a). The head of the agency (or designee), in his or her sole and exclusive discretion, may exempt such an employee from the advance scheduling requirement in § 630.308(a) if coverage under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section terminated during the leave year and if the head of the agency (or designee) determines that the employee was unable to comply with the advance scheduling requirement because of circumstances beyond the employee's control.
[85 FR 48101, Aug. 10, 2020]
71 FR 47695, Aug. 17, 2006, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Subject to paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section, an agency must grant sick leave to an employee when he or she—
(1) Receives medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment;
(2) Is incapacitated for the performance of his or her duties by physical or mental illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth;
(3) Provides care for a family member—
(i) Who is incapacitated by a medical or mental condition or attends to a family member receiving medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment;
(ii) With a serious health condition; or
(iii) Who would, as determined by the health authorities having jurisdiction or by a health care provider, jeopardize the health of others by that family member's presence in the community because of exposure to a communicable disease;
(4) Makes arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or attends the funeral of a family member;
(5) Would, as determined by the health authorities having jurisdiction or by a health care provider, jeopardize the health of others by his or her presence on the job because of exposure to a communicable disease; or
(6) Must be absent from duty for purposes relating to his or her adoption of a child, including appointments with adoption agencies, social workers, and attorneys; court proceedings; required travel; and any other activities necessary to allow the adoption to proceed.
(b) The amount of sick leave granted to an employee during any leave year for the purposes described in paragraphs (a)(3)(i), (a)(3)(iii), and (a)(4) of this section may not exceed a total of 104 hours (or, for a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, the number of hours of sick leave he or she normally accrues during a leave year).
(c) The amount of sick leave granted to an employee during any leave year for the purposes described in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section may not exceed a total of 480 hours (or, for a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, an amount of sick leave equal to 12 times the average number of hours in his or her scheduled tour of duty each week), subject to the limitation found in paragraph (d) of this section.
(d) If, at the time an employee uses sick leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition under paragraph (c) of this section, he or she has used any portion of the sick leave authorized under paragraph (b) of this section during that leave year, the agency must subtract that amount from the maximum number of hours authorized under paragraph (c) of this section to determine the total amount of sick leave the employee may use during the remainder of the leave year to care for a family member with a serious health condition. If an employee has previously used the maximum amount of sick leave permitted under paragraph (c) of this section in a leave year, he or she is not entitled to use additional sick leave under paragraph (b) of this section.
(e) If the number of hours in the employee's tour of duty is changed during the leave year, his or her entitlement to use sick leave for the purposes described in paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this section must be recalculated based on the new tour of duty.
[71 FR 47695, Aug. 17, 2006, as amended at 75 FR 75372, Dec. 3, 2010]
(a) At the beginning of a leave year or at any time thereafter when required by the exigencies of the situation, an agency may grant advanced sick leave in the amount of:
(1) Up to 240 hours to a full-time employee—
(i) Who is incapacitated for the performance of his or her duties by physical or mental illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth;
(ii) For a serious health condition of the employee or a family member;
(iii) When the employee would, as determined by the health authorities having jurisdiction or by a health care provider, jeopardize the health of others by his or her presence on the job because of exposure to a communicable disease;
(iv) For purposes relating to the adoption of a child; or
(v) For the care of a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness, provided the employee is exercising his or her entitlement under 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(3).
(2) Up to 104 hours to a full-time employee—
(i) When he or she receives medical, dental or optical examination or treatment;
(ii) To provide care for a family member who is incapacitated by a medical or mental condition or to attend to a family member receiving medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment;
(iii) To provide care for a family member who would, as determined by the health authorities having jurisdiction or by a health care provider, jeopardize the health of others by that family member's presence in the community because of exposure to a communicable disease; or
(iv) To make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or to attend the funeral of a family member.
(b) Two hundred forty hours is the maximum amount of advanced sick leave an employee may have to his or her credit at any one time. For a part-time employee (or an employee on an uncommon tour of duty), the maximum amount of sick leave an agency may advance must be prorated according to the number of hours in the employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek.
[75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
The amount of accumulated and accrued sick leave an employee may substitute for unpaid family and medical leave under 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(3) for leave to care for a covered servicemember may not exceed a total of 26 administrative workweeks in a single 12-month period (or, for a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, an amount of sick leave equal to 26 times the average number of hours in his or her scheduled tour of duty each week).
[75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
An employee must file an application—written, oral, or electronic, as required by the agency—for sick leave within such time limits as the agency may require. The employee must request advance approval for sick leave for the purpose of receiving medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment and, to the extent possible, for the purposes described in § 630.401(a)(3), (4), and (6).
[71 FR 47695, Aug. 17, 2006. Redesignated at 75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
(a) An agency may grant sick leave only when the need for sick leave is supported by administratively acceptable evidence. An agency may consider an employee's self-certification as to the reason for his or her absence as administratively acceptable evidence, regardless of the duration of the absence. An agency may also require a medical certificate or other administratively acceptable evidence as to the reason for an absence for any of the purposes described in § 630.401(a) for an absence in excess of 3 workdays, or for a lesser period when the agency determines it is necessary.
(b) An employee must provide administratively acceptable evidence or medical certification for a request for sick leave no later than 15 calendar days after the date the agency requests such medical certification. If it is not practicable under the particular circumstances to provide the requested evidence or medical certification within 15 calendar days after the date requested by the agency despite the employee's diligent, good faith efforts, the employee must provide the evidence or medical certification within a reasonable period of time under the circumstances involved, but no later than 30 calendar days after the date the agency requests such documentation. An employee who does not provide the required evidence or medical certification within the specified time period is not entitled to sick leave.
(c) An agency may require an employee requesting sick leave to care for a family member under § 630.401(a)(3)(ii) to provide an additional written statement from the health care provider concerning the family member's need for psychological comfort and/or physical care. The statement must certify that—
(1) The family member requires psychological comfort and/or physical care;
(2) The family member would benefit from the employee's care or presence; and
(3) The employee is needed to care for the family member for a specified period of time.
[71 FR 47695, Aug. 17, 2006. Redesignated at 75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
Subject to § 630.401(b) through (e), an agency may grant sick leave to an employee during a period of annual leave for any of the purposes described in § 630.401(a).
[71 FR 47695, Aug. 17, 2006. Redesignated at 75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
Sick leave used in the computation of an annuity is charged against an employee's sick leave account and may not thereafter be used, transferred, or recredited. All sick leave to the credit of an employee as of the date of his or her retirement (or death) and reported to OPM for credit towards the calculation of an annuity is considered used.
[71 FR 47695, Aug. 17, 2006. Redesignated at 75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
An agency must maintain records of the amount of sick leave used by an employee for family care purposes and to make arrangements for or attend the funeral of a family member under § 630.401(a)(3) and (4). The records must be sufficient to ensure that an employee does not exceed the limitations in § 630.401(b) and (c).
[71 FR 47695, Aug. 17, 2006. Redesignated at 75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
(a) When an employee transfers between positions under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, the agency from which he transfers shall certify his annual leave account to the employing agency for credit or charge.
(b) When annual leave is transferred between different leave systems under section 6308 of title 5, United States Code, or is recredited under a different leave system as the result of a refund under section 6306 of that title, 7 calendar days of annual leave are deemed equal to 5 workdays of annual leave.
[35 FR 18581, Dec. 8, 1970]
(a) When an employee transfers between positions under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, the agency from which the employee transfers shall certify his or her sick leave account to the employing agency for credit or charge.
(b) Except as provided in § 630.407 and in paragraph (c) of this section, an employee who has had a break in service is entitled to a recredit of sick leave (without regard to the date of his or her separation), if he or she returns to Federal employment on or after December 2, 1994, unless the sick leave was forfeited upon reemployment in the Federal Government before December 2, 1994.
(c) Except as provided in § 630.407, an employee of the government of the District of Columbia who was first employed by the government of the District of Columbia before October 1, 1987, and who has had a break in service is entitled to a recredit of sick leave (without regard to the date of his or her separation) if he or she returns to Federal employment on or after December 2, 1994, unless the sick leave was forfeited upon reemployment in the Federal Government before December 2, 1994.
(d) When sick leave is transferred between different leave systems under section 6308 of title 5, United States Code, 7 calendar days of sick leave are deemed equal to 5 workdays of sick leave.
(e) An employee who transfers to a position under a different leave system to which he or she can transfer only a part of his or her sick leave is entitled to a recredit of the untransferred sick leave (without regard to the date of the original transfer) if the employee returns to the leave system under which it was earned on or after December 2, 1994.
(f) An employee who transfers to a position to which he or she cannot transfer his or her sick leave is entitled to a recredit of the untransferred sick leave (without regard to the date of the original transfer) if the employee returns to the leave system under which it was earned on or after December 2, 1994.
(g) The recredit of sick leave under this section shall be supported by written documentation available to the employing agency in its official personnel records concerning the employee, the official records of the employee's former employing agency, copies of contemporaneous earnings and leave statement(s) provided by the employee, or copies of other contemporaneous written documentation acceptable to the agency.
(h) The sick leave to be recredited under this section must have been accrued under 5 U.S.C. 6307 or transferred to the employee's credit under 5 U.S.C. 6308 (or the corresponding provisions of prior statutes).
[59 FR 62271, Dec. 2, 1994, as amended at 74 FR 10165, Mar. 10, 2009; 75 FR 75373, Dec. 3, 2010]
An employee who earned leave under the leave acts of 1936 or any other leave system merged under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, is entitled to a recredit of that leave under that subchapter if he would have been entitled to recredit for it on reentering the leave system under which it was earned. However, this section does not revive leave already forfeited.
(a) When an employee leaves his or her civilian position to enter the military service, the employing agency shall certify his or her leave account for credit or charge.
(b) If the employee returns to a civilian position following military service, the agency to which the employee returns shall reestablish the certified leave account as a credit or charge (without regard to the date he or she left the civilian position) when the employee is—
(1) Restored in accordance with a right of restoration after separation from active military duty or hospitalization continuing thereafter as provided by law or in accordance with the mandatory provisions of a statute, Executive order, or regulation; or
(2) Reemployed in a position under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, on or after December 2, 1994.
(c) For the purpose of documenting a returning employee's entitlement to a recredit of sick leave under this section, the documentation criteria established in § 630.502(g) shall apply.
[59 FR 62272, Dec. 2, 1994]
When an employee is restored to an agency as a result of an appeal, the agency shall reestablish his leave account as a credit or charge as it was at the time of separation.
(a) When an employee moves between positions under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, in different agencies, only his leave in whole hour units may be transferred.
(b) When an employee moves between positions under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, covered by different leave charging systems within the same agency, his leave is transferable in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, unless the agency establishes a different policy making fractions of an hour of leave transferable.
[38 FR 18446, July 11, 1973; 38 FR 26601, Sept. 24, 1973]
In this subpart:
Home leave means leave authorized by section 6305(a) of title 5, United States Code, and earned by service abroad for use in the United States, in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or in the territories or possessions of the United States.
Month means a period which runs from a given day in 1 month through the date preceding the numerically corresponding day in the next month.
Service abroad means service on and after September 6, 1960, by an employee at a post of duty outside the United States and outside the employee's place of residence if his place of residence is in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a territory or possession of the United States.
[33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1967, as amended at 60 FR 67287, Dec. 29, 1995]
An employee who meets the requirements of section 6304(b) of title 5, United States Code, for the accumulation of a maximum of 45 days of annual leave earns and may be granted home leave in accordance with section 6305(a) of that title and this subpart.
For the purpose of this subpart, service abroad:
(a) Begins on the date of the employee's arrival at a post of duty outside the United States, or on the date of his entrance on duty when recruited abroad;
(b) Ends on the date of the employee's departure from the post for separation or for assignment in the United States, or on the date of his separation from duty when separated abroad; and
(c) Includes
(1) absence in a nonpay status up to a maximum of 2 workweeks within each 12 months of service abroad,
(2) authorized leave with pay,
(3) time spent in the Armed Forces of the United States which interrupts service abroad (but only for eligibility, not leave-earning, purposes), and
(4) a period of detail.
In computing service abroad, full credit is given for the day of arrival and the day of departure.
[33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended at 35 FR 14763, Sept. 23, 1970]
(a) For each 12 months of service abroad, an employee earns home leave at the following rate:
(1) An employee who accepts an appointment to, or occupies, a position for which the agency has prescribed the requirement that the incumbent accept assignments anywhere in the world as the needs of the agency dictate—15 days.
(2) An employee who is serving with a U.S. mission to a public international organization—15 days.
(3) An employee who is serving at a post for which payment of a foreign or nonforeign (but not a tropical) differential of 20 percent or more is authorized by law or regulation—15 days.
(4) An employee not included in paragraph (a) (1), (2), or (3) of this section who is serving at a post for which payment of a foreign or territorial (but not a tropical) differential of at least 10 percent but less than 20 percent is authorized by law or regulation—10 days.
(5) An employee not included in paragraph (a) (1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section—5 days.
(b) An agency shall credit home leave to an employee's leave account, as earned, in multiples of 1 day.
[33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended at 35 FR 14763, Sept. 23, 1970]
(a) For each month of service abroad, an employee earns home leave under the rates fixed by § 630.604(a) in the amounts set forth in the following table:
Home Leave-Earning Table
[Days earned]
| Months of service abroad | Earning rate (days for each 12 months) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 10 | 5 | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| 7 | 8 | 5 | 2 |
| 8 | 10 | 6 | 3 |
| 9 | 11 | 7 | 3 |
| 10 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| 11 | 13 | 9 | 4 |
| 12 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
(b) When an employee moves between different home leave-earning rates during a month of service abroad, or when a change in the differential during a month of service abroad results in a different home leave-earning rate, the agency shall credit the employee with the amount of home leave for the month at the rate to which he was entitled before the change in his home leave-earning rate.
(a) Entitlement. Except as otherwise authorized by statute, an employee is entitled to home leave only when he has completed a basic service period of 24 months of continuous service abroad. This basic service period is terminated by
(1) a break in service of 1 or more workdays, or
(2) an assignment (other than a detail) to a position in which an employee is no longer subject to section 6305(a) of title 5, United States Code.
(b) Agency authority. A grant of home leave is at the discretion of an agency. An agency may grant home leave in combination with other leaves of absence in accordance with established agency policy.
(c) Limitations. An agency may grant home leave only:
(1) For use in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or possession of the United States; and
(2) During an employee's period of service abroad, or within a reasonable period after his return from service abroad when it is contemplated that he will return to service abroad immediately or on completion of an assignment in the United States.
Home leave not granted during a period named in paragraph (c)(2) of this section may be granted only when the employee has completed a further substantial period of service abroad. This further substantial period of service abroad may not be less than the tour of duty prescribed for the employee's post of assignment, except when the agency determines that an earlier grant of home leave is warranted in an individual case.
(d) Charging of home leave. The minimum charge for home leave is 1 day and additional charges are in multiples thereof.
(e) Refund for home leave. An employee is indebted for the home leave used by him when he fails to return to service abroad after the period of home leave, or after the completion of an assignment in the United States. However, a refund for this indebtedness is not required when
(1) the employee has completed not less than 6 months' service in an assignment in the United States following the period of home leave;
(2) the agency determines that the employee's failure to return was due to compelling personal reasons of a humanitarian or compassionate nature, such as may involve physical or mental health or circumstances over which the employee has no control; or
(3) the agency which granted the home leave determines that it is in the public interest not to return the employee to his overseas assignment.
An employee is entitled to have his home leave account transferred or recredited to his account when he moves between agencies or is reemployed without a break in service of more than 90 days.
This subpart applies to an employee as defined in section 6301 of title 5, United States Code, who is regularly assigned to duties aboard an oceangoing vessel. An employee is considered to be regularly assigned when his continuing duties are such that all or a significant part of them require that he serve aboard an oceangoing vessel. Temporary assignments of a shore-based employee, such as for limited work projects or for training, do not constitute a regular assignment.
Extended voyage means a voyage of not less than 7 consecutive calendar days duration.
Oceangoing vessel means a vessel in use on the high seas or the Great Lakes; but does not include a vessel which operates primarily on rivers, other lakes, bays, sounds or within the 3-nautical-mile limit of the coastal area of the 48 contiguous States, except when used in mapping, charting, or surveying operations or when in or sailing to or from foreign, territorial, Hawaiian, or Alaskan waters, or waters outside its normal area of operations or outside the 3-nautical-mile limit.
Shore leave means leave authorized by section 6305(c) of title 5, United States Code, and this subpart.
Voyage means the sailing of an oceangoing vessel from one port and its return to that port or the final port of discharge.
[33 FR 12475, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended at 60 FR 67287, Dec. 29, 1995]
(a) An employee earns shore leave at the rate of 1 day of shore leave for each 15 calendar days of absence on one or more extended voyages.
(b)
(1) For an employee who is an officer or crewmember, a voyage begins either on the date he assumes his duties aboard an oceangoing vessel to begin preparation for a voyage or on the date he comes aboard when a voyage is in progress. The voyage terminates on the date he ceases to be an officer or crewmember of the oceangoing vessel or on the date on which he is released from assignment of his duties relating to that voyage aboard the oceangoing vessel at the port of origin or port of final discharge, whichever is earlier.
(2) For an employee other than an officer or crewmember, a voyage begins on the date of sailing and terminates on the date the oceangoing vessel returns to a port at which the employee will disembark in completion of his assignment aboard the vessel, or on the date he is released from his assignment aboard the vessel, whichever is earlier.
(c) In computing days of absence, an agency shall include
(1) the beginning date of a voyage and the termination date of a voyage;
(2) the days an employee spends traveling to join an oceangoing vessel to which assigned when the vessel is at a place other than the port of origin;
(3) the days an employee spends traveling between oceangoing vessels when the employee is assigned from one vessel to another;
(4) the period representing the number of days within which an employee is reasonably expected to return to the port of origin when his oceangoing vessel's voyage is terminated, or his employment as an officer or crewmember is terminated, at a port other than the port of origin;
(5) for an employee who is an officer or crewmember, the days on which he is on sick leave when he becomes sick during a voyage (whether or not continued as a member of the crew) but not beyond the termination date of the voyage of the oceangoing vessel or his repatriation to the port of origin, whichever is earlier;
(6) for an employee other than an officer or crewmember, the days on which he is carried on sick leave but not beyond the date on which he returns to the port of origin or the termination date of the voyage, whichever is earlier; and
(7) the days of approved leave from a vessel (paid or unpaid) during a voyage.
(a) Authority.
(1) An employee has an absolute right to use shore leave, subject to the right of the head of the agency to fix the time at which shore leave may be used.
(2) Shore leave may be granted during a voyage only when requested by an employee.
(3) An employee shall submit his request for shore leave in writing and whenever an employee's request for shore leave is denied, the denial shall be in writing.
(b) Accumulation. Shore leave is in addition to annual leave and may be accumulated for future use without limitation.
(c) Charge for shore leave. The minimum charge for shore leave is one day and additional charges are in multiples thereof.
(d) Lump-sum payment. Shore leave may not be the basis for lump-sum payment on separation from the service.
(e) Terminal leave.
(1) Except as provided by paragraph (e)(2) of this section, an agency shall not grant shore leave to an employee as terminal leave. For the purpose of this paragraph terminal leave is approved absence immediately before an employee's separation when an agency knows the employee will not return to duty before the date of his separation.
(2) An agency shall grant shore leave as terminal leave when the employee's inability to use shore leave was due to circumstances beyond his control and not due to his own act or omission.
(f) Forfeiture of shore leave. Shore leave not granted before
(1) separation from the service, or
(2) official assignment (other than by temporary detail) to a position in which the employee does not earn shore leave, is forfeited. When an official assignment will result in forfeiture of shore leave, the agency to the extent administratively practicable shall give an employee an opportunity to use the shore leave he has to his credit either before the reassignment or not later than 6 months after the date of his reassignment when the agency is unable to grant the shore leave before the reassignment.
34 FR 13655, Aug. 26, 1969, unless otherwise noted.
This subpart and section 6326 of title 5, United States Code, apply to the granting of funeral leave to an employee in connection with the funeral of, or memorial service for, his immediate relative who died as a result of wounds, disease, or injury incurred while serving as a member of the armed forces in a combat zone.
This subpart applies to:
(a) An employee as defined in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code, who is employed by an executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and
(b) An individual who is employed by the government of the District of Columbia.
Armed forces means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
Combat zone means those areas determined by the President in accordance with section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Committed relationship means one in which the employee, and the domestic partner of the employee, are each other's sole domestic partner (and are not married to or domestic partners with anyone else); and share responsibility for a significant measure of each other's common welfare and financial obligations. This includes, but is not limited to, any relationship between two individuals of the same or opposite sex that is granted legal recognition by a State or by the District of Columbia as a marriage or analogous relationship (including, but not limited to, a civil union).
Domestic partner means an adult in a committed relationship with another adult, including both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.
Employee means an employee or individual covered by § 630.802.
Funeral leave means leave authorized by section 6326 of title 5, United States Code, and this subpart.
Immediate relative means an individual with any of the following relationships to the employee:
(1) Spouse, and parents thereof;
(2) Sons and daughters, and spouses thereof;
(3) Parents, and spouses thereof;
(4) Brothers and sisters, and spouses thereof;
(5) Grandparents and grandchildren, and spouses thereof;
(6) Domestic partner and parents thereof, including domestic partners of any individual in paragraphs (2) through (5) of this definition; and
(7) Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.
Parent means—
(1) A biological, adoptive, step, or foster parent of the employee, or a person who was a foster parent of the employee when the employee was a minor;
(2) A person who is the legal guardian of the employee or was the legal guardian of the employee when the employee was a minor or required a legal guardian; or
(3) A person who stands in loco parentis to the employee or stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis.
(4) A parent, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this definition, of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.
Son or daughter means—
(1) A biological, adopted, step, or foster son or daughter of the employee;
(2) A person who is a legal ward or was a legal ward of the employee when that individual was a minor or required a legal guardian;
(3) A person for whom the employee stands in loco parentis or stood in loco parentis when that individual was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis; or
(4) A son or daughter, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this definition, of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.
[34 FR 13655, Aug. 26, 1969, as amended at 60 FR 67287, Dec. 29, 1995; 75 FR 33496, June 14, 2010]
(a) An agency shall grant an employee such funeral leave as is needed and requested by him, not to exceed 3 workdays, without loss of or reduction in pay, leave to which he is otherwise entitled, or credit for time or service, and without adversely affecting his performance or efficiency rating. Funeral leave is granted to allow an employee to make arrangements for, or to attend, the funeral or memorial service for an immediate relative who died as the result of a wound, disease, or injury incurred while serving as a member of the armed forces in a combat zone. The 3 days need not be consecutive but if not, the employee shall furnish the approving authority satisfactory reasons justifying a grant of funeral leave for nonconsecutive days.
(b) An agency may grant funeral leave only from a prescribed tour of duty, including regularly scheduled overtime, or, in the case of a substitute employee in the postal field service, from a period during which, except for absence on funeral leave, the employee would have worked.
59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this subpart is to set forth procedures and requirements for a voluntary leave transfer program under which the unused accrued annual leave of one agency officer or employee may be transferred for use by another agency officer or employee who needs such leave because of a medical emergency.
(b) Applicability. This subpart applies to officers and employees to whom subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, applies.
Agency means—
(a) An Executive agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105;
(b) A military department, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 102; or
(c) Any other entity of the Federal Government that employs officers or employees to whom subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, applies. Agency does not include the Central Intelligence Agency; the Defense Intelligence Agency; the National Security Agency; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; or any other Executive agency or unit thereof, as determined by the President, whose principal function is the conduct of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities.
Available paid leave means accrued or accumulated annual or sick leave under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, and recredited and restored annual or sick leave under subpart E of this part. Available paid leave does not include annual or sick leave advanced to an employee under 5 U.S.C. 6302(d) or 6307(c) or any annual or sick leave accrued under § 630.907(a) that has not been transferred to the appropriate leave account under § 630.907(c).
Committed relationship means one in which the employee, and the domestic partner of the employee, are each other's sole domestic partner (and are not married to or domestic partners with anyone else); and share responsibility for a significant measure of each other's common welfare and financial obligations. This includes, but is not limited to, any relationship between two individuals of the same or opposite sex that is granted legal recognition by a State or by the District of Columbia as a marriage or analogous relationship (including, but not limited to, a civil union).
Domestic partner means an adult in a committed relationship with another adult, including both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.
Employee has the meaning given that term in 5 U.S.C. 6301(2), except an individual employed by the government of the District of Columbia.
Family member means an individual with any of the following relationships to the employee:
(1) Spouse, and parents thereof;
(2) Sons and daughters, and spouses thereof;
(3) Parents, and spouses thereof;
(4) Brothers and sisters, and spouses thereof;
(5) Grandparents and grandchildren, and spouses thereof;
(6) Domestic partner and parents thereof, including domestic partners of any individual in paragraphs (2) through (5) of this definition; and
(7) Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.
Leave donor means an employee whose voluntary written request for transfer of annual leave to the annual leave account of a leave recipient is approved by his or her own employing agency.
Leave recipient means a current employee for whom the employing agency has approved an application to receive annual leave from the annual leave accounts of one or more leave donors.
Medical emergency means a medical condition of an employee or a family member of such employee that is likely to require an employee's absence from duty for a prolonged period of time and to result in a substantial loss of income to the employee because of the unavailability of paid leave.
Paid leave status under subchapter I means the administrative status of an employee while the employee is using annual or sick leave accrued or accumulated under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code.
Parent means—
(1) A biological, adoptive, step, or foster parent of the employee, or a person who was a foster parent of the employee when the employee was a minor;
(2) A person who is the legal guardian of the employee or was the legal guardian of the employee when the employee was a minor or required a legal guardian; or
(3) A person who stands in loco parentis to the employee or stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis.
(4) A parent, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this definition, of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.
Son or daughter means—
(1) A biological, adopted, step, or foster son or daughter of the employee;
(2) A person who is a legal ward or was a legal ward of the employee when that individual was a minor or required a legal guardian;
(3) A person for whom the employee stands in loco parentis or stood in loco parentis when that individual was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis; or
(4) A son or daughter, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this definition, of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.
[59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 75 FR 33496, June 14, 2010]
Each Federal agency shall establish and administer procedures to permit the voluntary transfer of annual leave consistent with this subpart.
(a) An employee may make written application to his or her employing agency to become a leave recipient. If an employee is not capable of making application on his or her own behalf, a personal representative of the potential leave recipient may make written application on his or her behalf.
(b) Each application shall be accompanied by the following information concerning each potential leave recipient:
(1) The name, position title, and grade or pay level of the potential leave recipient;
(2) The reasons transferred leave is needed, including a brief description of the nature, severity, and anticipated duration of the medical emergency, and if it is a recurring one, the approximate frequency of the medical emergency affecting the potential leave recipient;
(3) Certification from one or more physicians, or other appropriate experts, with respect to the medical emergency, if the potential leave recipient's employing agency so requires; and
(4) Any additional information that may be required by the potential leave recipient's employing agency.
(c) If the potential leave recipient's employing agency requires that a potential leave recipient obtain certification from two or more sources under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the potential leave recipient's employing agency shall ensure, either by direct payment to the expert involved or by reimbursement, that the potential leave recipient is not required to pay for the expenses associated with obtaining certification from more than one source.
(a) The potential leave recipient's employing agency shall review an application to become a leave recipient under procedures established by the employing agency for the purpose of determining that the potential leave recipient is or has been affected by a medical emergency.
(b) Before approving an application to become a leave recipient, the potential leave recipient's employing agency shall determine that the absence from duty without available paid leave because of the medical emergency is (or is expected to be) at least 24 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in the employee's biweekly scheduled tour of duty).
(c) In making a determination as to whether a medical emergency is likely to result in a substantial loss of income, an agency shall not consider factors other than whether the absence from duty without available paid leave is (or is expected to be) at least 24 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in the employee's biweekly scheduled tour of duty).
(d) If the application is approved, the employing agency shall notify the leave recipient (or the personal representative who made application on behalf of the leave recipient), within 10 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the date the application was received (or the date the employing agency established its administrative procedures, if that date is later), that—
(1) The application has been approved; and
(2) Other employees of the leave recipient's employing agency may request the transfer of annual leave to the account of the leave recipient.
(e) If the application is not approved, the employing agency shall notify the applicant (or the personal representative who made application on behalf of the potential leave recipient), within 10 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the date the application was received (or the date the employing agency established its administrative procedures, if that date is later)—
(1) That the application has not been approved; and
(2) The reasons for its disapproval.
[59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 26979, May 22, 1995; 61 FR 64451, Dec. 5, 1996]
(a) An employee may submit a voluntary written request to his or her own employing agency that a specified number of hours of his or her accrued annual leave be transferred from his or her annual leave account to the annual leave account of a specified leave recipient. Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, annual leave may be transferred only to a leave recipient employed by the leave donor's employing agency.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section and subject to the limitations on the amount of annual leave that may be donated by a leave donor under § 630.908, all or any portion of the annual leave requested under paragraph (a) of this section may be transferred to the annual leave account of the specified leave recipient under procedures established by the leave recipient's employing agency.
(c) An agency having employees who earn and use annual leave on the basis of an uncommon tour of duty shall establish procedures for administering the transfer of annual leave to or from such employees under this subpart.
(d) A leave recipient's employing agency shall not transfer annual leave to a leave donor's immediate supervisor.
(e) Annual leave transferred under this section may be substituted retroactively for period of leave without pay (LWOP) or used to liquidate an indebtedness for advanced annual or sick leave granted on or after a date fixed by the leave recipient's employing agency as the beginning of the period of medical emergency for which LWOP or advanced annual or sick leave was granted.
(f) A leave recipient's employing agency shall accept the transfer of annual leave from leave donors employed by one or more other agencies when—
(1) A family member of a leave recipient is employed by another agency and requests the transfer of annual leave to the leave recipient;
(2) In the judgment of the leave recipient's employing agency, the amount of annual leave transferred from leave donors employed by the leave recipient's employing agency may not be sufficient to meet the needs of the leave recipient; or
(3) In the judgment of the leave recipient's employing agency, acceptance of leave transferred from another agency would further the purpose of the voluntary leave transfer program.
(g) The employing agency of a leave donor who wishes to donate annual leave to a leave recipient in another agency shall verify the availability of annual leave in the leave donor's annual leave account, determine that the amount of annual leave to be donated does not exceed the limitations in § 630.908, and ascertain that the leave recipient's employing agency has made any determination that may be required under paragraph (f) of this section. Upon satisfying these requirements, the leave donor's employing agency shall—
(1) Reduce the amount of annual leave credited to the leave donor's annual leave account, as appropriate; and
(2) Notify the leave recipient's employing agency in writing of the amount of annual leave to be credited to the leave recipient's annual leave account.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, while an employee is in a shared leave status, annual and sick leave shall accrue to the credit of the employee at the same rate as if the employee where then in a paid leave status under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, except that—
(1) The maximum amount of annual leave that may be accrued by an employee while in a shared leave status in connection with any particular medical emergency may not exceed 40 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, the average number of hours in the employee's weekly scheduled tour of duty); and
(2) The maximum amount of sick leave that may be accrued by an employee while in a shared leave status in connection with any particular medical emergency may not exceed 40 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, the average number of hours in the employee's weekly scheduled tour of duty).
(b) Any annual or sick leave accrued by an employee under this subpart and subpart J of this part—
(1) Shall be credited to an annual or sick leave account, as appropriate, separate from any leave account of the employee under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code; and
(2) Shall not become available for use by the employee and may not otherwise be taken into account under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, until it is transferred to the appropriate leave account of the employee under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, as provided in paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) Any annual or sick leave accrued by an employee under this section shall be transferred to the appropriate leave account of the employee under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, and shall become available for use—
(1) As of the beginning of the first pay period beginning on or after the date on which the employee's medical emergency terminates as described in § 630.910(a)(2) or (3); or
(2) If the employee's medical emergency has not yet terminated, once the employee has exhausted all leave made available to such employee under this subpart or subpart J of this part.
(d) If the leave recipient's employing agency advances at the beginning of the leave year the amount of annual leave the employee normally would accrue during the entire leave year under 5 U.S.C. 6302(d)—
(1) The leave recipient's employing agency shall establish procedures to ensure that 40 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, the average number of hours in the employee's weekly scheduled tour of duty) of annual leave are placed in a separate annual leave account and made available for use by the employee as described in paragraph (c) of this section; and
(2) The employee shall continue to accrue annual leave while in a shared leave status to the extent necessary for the purpose of reducing any indebtedness caused by the use of annual leave advanced at the beginning of the leave year.
(e) If the employee's medical emergency terminates as described in § 630.910(a)(1), no leave shall be credited to the employee under this section.
[59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 26979, May 22, 1995; 61 FR 64451, Dec. 5, 1996]
(a) In any one leave year, a leave donor may donate no more than a total of one-half of the amount of annual leave he or she would be entitled to accrue during the leave year in which the donation is made.
(b) In the case of a leave donor who is projected to have annual leave that otherwise would be subject to forfeiture at the end of the leave year under 5 U.S.C. 6304(a), the maximum amount of annual leave that may be donated during the leave year shall be the lesser of—
(1) One-half of the amount of annual leave he or she would be entitled to accrue during the leave year in which the donation is made; or
(2) The number of hours remaining in the leave year (as of the date of the transfer) for which the leave donor is scheduled to work and receive pay.
(c) Each agency shall establish written criteria for waiving the limitations on donating annual leave under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. Any such waiver shall be documented in writing.
(d) The limitations in this section shall apply to the total amount of annual leave donated or contributed under subparts I and J of this part.
(a) A leave recipient may use annual leave transferred to his or her annual leave account under § 630.906 only for the purpose of a medical emergency for which the leave recipient was approved.
(b) Except as provided in § 630.907, during each biweekly pay period that a leave recipient is affected by a medical emergency, he or she shall use any accrued annual leave (and sick leave, if applicable) before using transferred annual leave.
(c) The approval and use of transferred annual leave shall be subject to all of the conditions and requirements imposed by chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, part 630 of this chapter, and the employing agency on the approval and use of annual leave accrued under 5 U.S.C. 6303, except that transferred annual leave may accumulate without regard to the limitation imposed by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a).
(d) Transferred annual leave may be substituted retroactively for any period of leave without pay or used to liquidate an indebtedness for any period of advanced leave that began on or after the date fixed by the agency as the beginning of the medical emergency.
(e) Transferred annual leave may not be—
(1) Transferred to another leave recipient under this subpart, except as provided in § 630.911(e)(3);
(2) Included in a lump-sum payment under 5 U.S.C. 5551 or 5552; or
(3) Made available for recredit under 5 U.S.C. 6306 upon reemployment by a Federal agency.
(a) The medical emergency affecting a leave recipient shall terminate—
(1) When the leave recipient's Federal service is terminated;
(2) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the leave recipient's employing agency receives written notice from the leave recipient or from a personal representative of the leave recipient that the leave recipient is no longer affected by a medical emergency;
(3) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the leave recipient's employing agency determines, after written notice from the agency and an opportunity for the leave recipient (or, if appropriate, a personal representative of the leave recipient) to answer orally or in writing, that the leave recipient is no longer affected by a medical emergency; or
(4) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the leave recipient's employing agency receives notice that the Office of Personnel Management has approved an application for disability retirement for the leave recipient under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System.
(b) The leave recipient's employing agency shall continuously monitor the status of the medical emergency affecting the leave recipient to ensure that the leave recipient continues to be affected by a medical emergency.
(c) When the medical emergency affecting a leave recipient terminates, no further requests for transfer of annual leave to the leave recipient may be granted, and any unused transferred annual leave remaining to the credit of the leave recipient shall be restored to the leave donors under § 630.911.
(d) An agency may deem a medical emergency to continue for the purpose of providing a leave recipient an adequate period of time within which to receive donations of annual leave.
(a) Under procedures established by the leave recipient's employing agency, any transferred annual leave remaining to the credit of a leave recipient when the medical emergency terminates shall be restored, as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section and to the extent administratively feasible, by transfer to the annual leave accounts of leave donors who, on the date leave restoration is made, are employed by a Federal agency and subject to chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) The amount of unused transferred annual leave to be restored to each leave donor shall be determined as follows:
(1) Divide the number of hours of unused transferred annual leave by the total number of hours of annual leave transferred to the leave recipient;
(2) Multiply the ratio obtained in paragraph (b)(1) of this section by the number of hours of annual leave transferred by each leave donor eligible for restoration under paragraph (a) of this section; and
(3) Round the result obtained in paragraph (b)(2) of this section to the nearest increment of time established by the leave donor's employing agency to account for annual leave.
(c) If the total number of eligible leave donors exceeds the total number of hours of annual leave to be restored, no unused transferred annual leave shall be restored. In no case shall the amount of annual leave restored to a leave donor exceed the amount transferred to the leave recipient by the leave donor.
(d) If the leave donor retires from Federal service, dies, or is otherwise separated from Federal service before the date unused transferred annual leave can be restored, the employing agency of the leave recipient shall not restore the unused transferred annual leave.
(e) At the election of the leave donor, unused transferred annual leave restored to the leave donor under paragraph (a) of this section may be restored by—
(1) Crediting the restored annual leave to the leave donor's annual leave account in the current leave year;
(2) Crediting the restored annual leave to the leave donor's annual leave account effective as of the first day of the first leave year beginning after the date of election; or
(3) Donating such leave in whole or part to another leave recipient.
(f) If a leave donor elects to donate only part of his or her restored leave to another leave recipient under paragraph (e)(3) of this section, the donor may elect to have the remaining leave credited to the leave donor's annual leave account under paragraph (e)(1) or (e)(2) of this section.
(g) Transferred annual leave restored to the account of a leave donor under paragraph (e) (1) or (2) of this section shall be subject to the limitation imposed by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a) at the end of the leave year in which the restored leave is credited to the leave donor's annual leave account.
(h) If a leave recipient elects to buy back annual leave as a result of claim for an employment-related injury approved by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs under 20 CFR 10.202 and 10.310, and the annual leave was leave transferred under § 630.906, the amount of annual leave bought back by the leave recipient shall be restored to the leave donor(s).
[59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 64451, Dec. 5, 1996]
(a) An employee may not directly or indirectly intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any other employee for the purpose of interfering with any right such employee may have with respect to donating, receiving, or using annual leave under this subpart.
(b) For the purpose of paragraph (a) of this section, the term “intimidate, threaten, or coerce” includes promising to confer or conferring any benefit (such as an appointment or promotion or compensation) or effecting or threatening to effect any reprisal (such as deprivation of appointment, promotion, or compensation).
(a) Each agency shall maintain records concerning the administration of the voluntary leave transfer program and may be required by the Office of Personnel Management to report any information necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
(b) Agencies shall maintain the following information:
(1) The number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting the employee and the number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting an employee's family member;
(2) The grade or pay level of each leave recipient and leave donor, the gender of each leave recipient, and the total amount of transferred annual leave used by each leave recipient; and
(3) Any additional information OPM may require.
59 FR 67129, Dec. 29, 1994, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this subpart is to establish procedures and requirements for a voluntary leave bank program under which the unused accrued annual leave of an employee may be contributed to a leave bank for use by a leave bank member who needs such leave because of a medical emergency.
(b) Applicability. This subpart applies to officers and employees—
(1) To whom subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code applies; and
(2) Who are employed in agencies and their organizational subunits operating a voluntary leave bank program under this subpart.
Agency means an “Executive agency,” as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105, or a “military department,” as defined in 5 U.S.C. 102. “Agency” does not include the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or any other Executive agency or subunit thereof, as determined by the President, whose principal function is the conduct of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities.
Available paid leave has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Committed relationship has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Domestic partner has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Employee has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Family member has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Leave bank means a pooled fund of annual leave established by an agency under § 630.1003.
Leave bank member means a leave contributor who has contributed, in an open enrollment period (or individual enrollment period, as applicable) of the current leave year, at least the minimum amount of annual leave required by § 630.1004.
Leave contributor means an employee who contributes annual leave to a leave bank under § 630.1004.
Leave recipient means a leave bank member whose application to receive contributions of annual leave from a leave bank has been approved under § 630.1007.
Medical emergency has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Paid leave status under subchapter I has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Parent has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Son or daughter has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
[59 FR 67129, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 75 FR 33496, June 14, 2010]
(a) Each agency that participates in the voluntary leave bank program shall, in accordance with this subpart—
(1) Develop written policies and procedures for establishing and administering leave banks and leave bank boards;
(2) Establish one or more leave bank boards to perform the duties authorized by this subpart; and
(3) Establish and begin operating one or more leave banks.
(b) No more than one leave bank board may be established for each leave bank.
(c) Each leave bank board shall consist of three members. At least one member shall represent a labor organization or employee group.
(d) Each leave bank board shall—
(1) Establish its internal decision-making procedures;
(2) Review and approve or disapprove each application to become a leave contributor under § 630.1004 and a leave recipient under §§ 630.1006 and 630.1007;
(3) Monitor the status of each leave recipient's medical emergency;
(4) Monitor the amount of leave in the leave bank and the number of applications to become a leave recipient;
(5) Maintain an adequate amount of annual leave in the leave bank to the greatest extent practicable in accordance with § 630.1004; and
(6) Perform other functions prescribed in this subpart.
(e) Annual leave may not be borrowed, contributed, or otherwise transferred between leave banks.
(a) An employee may make voluntary written application to the leave bank board to become a leave contributor. The application shall specify the number of hours of annual leave to be contributed and any other information the leave bank board may reasonably require.
(b) An employee may request that annual leave be contributed to a specified bank member other than the leave contributor's immediate supervisor.
(c) A leave contributor shall become a leave bank member for a particular leave year if he or she submits an application meeting the requirements of this section during an open enrollment period established by the leave bank board under paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section (or where applicable, during an individual enrollment period established under paragraph (f) of this section).
(d) The leave bank board shall establish at least one open enrollment period for each leave year of leave bank operation.
(e) An open enrollment period shall last at least 30 calendar days. The agency shall take appropriate action to inform employees of each open enrollment period.
(f) An employee entering the agency or participating organizational subunit or returning from an extended absence outside an open enrollment period may become a leave bank member for the leave year by submitting an application meeting the requirements of this section during an individual enrollment period lasting at least 30 calendar days, beginning on the date the employee entered or returned to the agency or organizational subunit.
(g) Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this section, the minimum contribution required to become a leave bank member for a leave year shall be—
(1) 4 hours of annual leave for an employee who has less than 3 years of service at the time he or she submits an application to contribute annual leave;
(2) 6 hours of annual leave for an employee who has at least 3, but less than 15, years of service at the time he or she submits an application to contribute annual leave; and
(3) 8 hours of annual leave for an employee who has 15 or more years of service at the time he or she submits an application to contribute annual leave.
(h) The leave bank board may—
(1) Decrease the minimum contribution required by paragraph (g) of this section for the following leave year when the leave bank board determines that there is a surplus of leave in the bank;
(2) Increase the minimum contribution required by paragraph (g) of this section for the following leave year when the leave bank board determines that such action is necessary to maintain an adequate balance of annual leave in the leave bank; or
(3) Eliminate the requirement for a minimum contribution under paragraph (g) of this section when a leave bank member transfers within his or her employing agency to an organization covered by a different leave bank.
(i) If a leave recipient does not have sufficient available accrued annual leave to his or her credit to make the full minimum contribution required by this section, he or she shall be deemed to have made the minimum contribution.
(j) The leave bank board shall deposit all contributions of annual leave under this subpart in the leave bank. Except as provided in § 630.1016(c), the leave bank board may not return a contribution of annual leave to a leave contributor after deposit in the leave bank.
(k) A leave bank member may apply to contribute additional annual leave at any time. An employee who is not a leave bank member may apply to become a leave contributor at any time.
(a) In any one leave year, a leave contributor may contribute no more than a total of one-half of the amount of annual leave he or she would be entitled to accrue during the leave year in which the contribution is made.
(b) In the case of a leave contributor who is projected to have annual leave that otherwise would be subject to forfeiture at the end of the leave year under 5 U.S.C. 6304(a), the maximum amount of annual leave that may be contributed during the leave year shall be the lesser of—
(1) One-half of the amount of annual leave he or she would be entitled to accrue during the leave year in which the contribution is made; or
(2) The number of hours remaining in the leave year (as of the date of the contribution) for which the leave contributor is scheduled to work and receive pay.
(c) The agency shall establish written criteria permitting a leave bank board to waive the limitations on contributing annual leave under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. Any such waiver shall be documented in writing.
(d) The limitations in this section shall apply to the total amount of annual leave donated or contributed during the leave year under subparts I and J of this part.
(a) A leave bank member may make written application to the leave bank board to become a leave recipient. If a leave bank member is not capable of making application on his or her own behalf, a personal representative may make written application on his or her behalf.
(b) The leave bank board may require leave bank members to submit applications under this section within a prescribed period of time following the termination of a medical emergency.
(c) An application by a leave bank member to become a leave recipient shall be accompanied by the following information concerning the potential leave recipient:
(1) The leave bank member's name, position title, and grade or pay level;
(2) The reasons leave is needed, including a brief description of the nature, severity, anticipated duration, and if it is a recurring one, the approximate frequency of the medical emergency affecting the leave bank member;
(3) Certification from one or more physicians, or other appropriate experts, with respect to the medical emergency, if the leave bank board so requires; and
(4) Any additional information that may be required by the leave bank board.
(d) If the leave bank board requires a leave bank member to submit certification from two or more sources under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the agency shall ensure, either by direct payment to the expert involved or by reimbursement, that the leave bank member is not required to pay for the expenses associated with obtaining certification from more than one source.
(a) The leave bank board shall review an employee's application to become a leave recipient under procedures established by the agency for the purpose of determining whether the employee is a leave bank member who is or has been affected by a medical emergency.
(b) Before approving an application to become a leave recipient, the leave bank board shall determine that the absence from duty without available paid leave because of the medical emergency is (or is expected to be) at least 24 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in the employee's biweekly scheduled tour of duty).
(c) In making a determination as to whether a medical emergency is likely to result in a substantial loss of income, the leave bank board shall not consider factors other than whether the absence from duty without available paid leave is (or is expected to be) at least 24 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in the employee's biweekly scheduled tour of duty).
(d) The leave bank board shall provide timely written notification to the applicant of the action taken on the application. If the leave bank board disapproves the application, notification shall include the reasons for disapproval.
(e) The leave bank board may establish written policies limiting the amount of annual leave that may be granted to a leave recipient.
[59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 26979, May 22, 1995]
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, while an employee is in a shared leave status, annual and sick leave shall accrue to the credit of the employee at the same rate as if the employee were then in a paid leave status under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, except that—
(1) The maximum amount of annual leave that may be accrued by a leave recipient while in a shared leave status in connection with any particular medical emergency may not exceed 40 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, the average number of hours in the employee's weekly scheduled tour of duty); and
(2) The maximum amount of sick leave that may be accrued by a leave recipient while in a shared leave status in connection with any particular medical emergency may not exceed 40 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, the average number of hours in the employee's weekly scheduled tour of duty).
(b) Any annual or sick leave accrued by an employee under this subpart and subpart I of this part—
(1) Shall be credited to an annual or sick leave account, as appropriate, separate from any leave account of the employee under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code; and
(2) Shall not become available for use by the employee and may not otherwise be taken into account under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, until it is transferred to the appropriate leave account of the employee under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, as provided in paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) Any annual or sick leave accrued by an employee under this section shall be transferred to the appropriate leave account of the employee under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, and shall become available for use—
(1) As of the beginning of the first pay period beginning on or after the date on which the employee's medical emergency terminates as described in § 630.1010(a)(3) or (4); or
(2) If the employee's medical emergency has not yet terminated, once the employee has exhausted all leave made available to such employee under this subpart of subpart I of this part.
(d) If the leave recipient's employing agency advances at the beginning of the leave year the amount of annual leave the employee normally would accrue during the entire leave year under 5 U.S.C. 6302(d)—
(1) The leave recipient's employing agency shall establish procedures to ensure that 40 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, the average number of hours in the employee's weekly scheduled tour of duty) of annual leave are placed in a separate annual leave account and made available for use by the employee as described in paragraph (c) of this section; and
(2) The employee shall continue to accrue annual leave while using annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank to the extent necessary for the purpose of reducing an indebtedness caused by the use of annual leave advanced at the beginning of the leave year.
(e) If the leave recipient's medical emergency terminates as described in § 630.1010(a)(1), no leave shall be credited to the employee under this section.
[59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 26979, May 22, 1995]
(a) A leave recipient may use annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank only for the purpose of medical emergency for which the leave recipient was approved.
(b) Except as provided in § 630.1008, during each biweekly pay period that a leave recipient is affected by a medical emergency, he or she shall use any accrued annual leave (and sick leave, if applicable) before using annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank.
(c) The approval and use of annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank shall be subject to all of the conditions and requirements imposed by chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, part 630 of this chapter, and the agency on the approval and use of annual leave accrued under 5 U.S.C. 6303, except that annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank may accumulate without regard to any limitation imposed by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a).
(d) Annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank may be substituted retroactively for any period of leave without pay or used to liquidate an indebtedness for any period of advanced leave that began on or after the date fixed by the leave bank board as the beginning of the medical emergency.
(e) Annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank may not be—
(1) Included in a lump-sum payment under 5 U.S.C. 5551 or 5552; or
(2) Made available for recredit under 5 U.S.C. 6306 upon reemployment by a Federal agency.
(f) An agency having employees who earn and use annual leave on the basis of an uncommon tour of duty shall establish procedures for administering the contribution and withdrawal of annual leave by such employees under this subpart.
(a) The medical emergency affecting a leave recipient shall terminate—
(1) When the leave recipient's Federal service terminates;
(2) When the leave recipient leaves the agency or participating organizational subunit, if the bank board so determines;
(3) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the leave bank board receives written notice from the leave recipient or from a personal representative of the leave recipient that the leave recipient is no longer affected by a medical emergency;
(4) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the leave bank board determines, after written notice from the bank board and an opportunity for the leave recipient (or, if appropriate, a personal representative of the leave recipient) to answer orally or in writing, that the leave recipient is no longer affected by a medical emergency; or
(5) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the agency receives notice that the Office of Personnel Management has approved an application for disability retirement for the leave recipient under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System.
(b) The leave bank board shall ensure that annual leave withdrawn from the leave bank and not used before the termination of a leave recipient's medical emergency shall be returned to the leave bank.
(c) The leave bank board may deem a medical emergency to continue for the purpose of providing a leave recipient an adequate period of time within which to receive contributions of annual leave.
(d) If a leave recipient elects to buy back annual leave as a result of a claim for an employment-related injury approved by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs under 20 CFR 10.202 and 10.310, the amount of annual leave withdrawn from the leave bank that is bought back by the leave recipient shall be restored to the leave bank.
[59 FR 67129, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 64451, Dec. 5, 1996]
(a) An employee may not directly or indirectly intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any other employee for the purpose of interfering with any right such employee may have with respect to contributing, withdrawing, or using annual leave under this subpart.
(b) For the purpose of paragraph (a) of this section—
(1) The term “employee” has the meaning given that term in 5 U.S.C. 6301(2), excluding an individual employed by the District of Columbia; and
(2) The term “intimidate, threaten, or coerce” includes promising to confer or conferring any benefit (such as an appointment or promotion or compensation) or effecting or threatening to effect any reprisal (such as deprivation of appointment, promotion, or compensation).
[59 FR 67125, Dec. 29, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 26979, May 22, 1995]
(a) Each agency shall maintain records concerning the administration of the voluntary leave bank program and may be required by the Office of Personnel Management to report any information necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
(b) An agency shall maintain the following information for each leave bank:
(1) The number of leave bank members for each leave year;
(2) The number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting the employee and the number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting an employee's family member;
(3) The grade or pay level of each leave contributor and the total amount of annual leave he or she contributed to the bank;
(4) The grade or pay level and gender of each leave recipient and the total amount of annual leave he or she actually used; and
(5) Any additional information OPM may require.
(a) If an agency or organizational subunit establishes a voluntary leave bank program under this subpart—
(1) A covered employee may also participate in a voluntary leave transfer program under subpart I of this part;
(2) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, any annual leave previously transferred to an employee under the voluntary leave transfer program shall remain to the credit of the employee who later becomes a leave recipient in a leave bank and shall become subject to the agency's policies and procedures for administering this subpart; and
(3) The agency or organizational subunit shall establish policies or procedures governing the use of donated or transferred leave for any leave recipient who receives leave under both a voluntary leave transfer program and a voluntary leave bank program for the same medical emergency.
(b) Upon termination of a leave recipient's medical emergency, any annual leave previously transferred under the voluntary leave transfer program and remaining to the credit of a leave recipient shall be restored under § 630.911(a) through (d).
(c) Transferred annual leave restored to the account of a leave donor under paragraph (b) of this section shall be subject to the limitation imposed by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a) at the end of the leave year in which the annual leave is restored.
If an employee moves between an agency or organizational subunit operating a leave bank to an agency or organizational subunit operating a different leave bank, the following procedures shall apply:
(a) On the date of the employee's move, he or she shall become subject to the policies and procedures of the voluntary leave bank program of the new agency or organizational subunit; and
(b) Nothing in § 630.1010(a)(2) or (b) shall interfere with the employee's right to submit an application to become a leave contributor or leave recipient in accordance with the policies and procedures of the voluntary leave bank program of the new agency or organizational subunit.
If an employee moves between an agency or organizational subunit covered by a voluntary leave bank program under this subpart and an agency or organizational subunit covered by a voluntary leave transfer program under subpart I of this part, the following procedures shall apply.
(a) On the date of the employee's move, he or she shall become subject to the policies and procedures of the voluntary leave transfer and voluntary leave bank program (if applicable) of the new agency or organizational subunit; and
(b) Nothing in § 630.1010(a)(2) or (b) shall interfere with the employee's right to submit an application to become a leave donor (or leave contributor, as applicable) or leave recipient under the voluntary leave transfer or voluntary leave bank program (as applicable) of the new agency or organizational subunit.
(a) An agency may terminate a voluntary leave bank program only after it gives at least 30 calendar days advance written notice to current leave bank members.
(b) If an agency terminates a voluntary leave bank program before the termination of the medical emergency affecting a leave bank recipient, annual leave transferred to a leave bank recipient shall remain available for use under the rules set forth in subpart I of this part.
(c) An agency that terminates a voluntary leave bank program shall make provisions for the timely and equitable distribution of any leave remaining in the leave bank. The agency may allocate the leave to current leave recipients, recredit the leave to the accounts of the voluntary leave bank members, or a combination of both. The agency may distribute the leave immediately or may delay the distribution, in whole or part, until the beginning of the following leave year.
73 FR 65500, Nov. 4, 2008, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Purpose. This subpart provides regulations to implement section 6391 of title 5, United States Code, and must be read together with section 6391. Section 6391 of title 5, United States Code, provides that in the event of a major disaster or emergency, as declared by the President, that results in severe adverse effects for a substantial number of employees, the President may direct the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to establish an emergency leave transfer program under which an employee may donate unused annual leave for transfer to employees of his or her agency or to employees in other agencies who are adversely affected by such disaster or emergency.
(b) Applicability. This subpart applies to any individual who is defined as an “employee” in 5 U.S.C. 6331(1) and who is employed in—
(1) An Executive agency; or
(2) The Judicial branch.
(c) Administration. The head of each agency having employees subject to this subpart is responsible for the proper administration of this subpart. Each Federal agency must establish and administer procedures to permit the voluntary transfer of annual leave consistent with this subpart.
In this subpart:
Agency means—
(1) An “Executive agency,” as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105; or
(2) A Judicial branch entity.
Committed relationship has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Disaster or emergency means a major disaster or emergency, as declared by the President, that results in severe adverse effects for a substantial number of employees (e.g., loss of life or property, serious injury, or mental illness as a result of a direct threat to life or health).
Domestic partner has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Emergency leave donor means a current employee whose voluntary written request for transfer of annual leave to an emergency leave transfer program is approved by his or her employing agency.
Emergency leave recipient means a current employee for whom the employing agency has approved an application to receive annual leave under an emergency leave transfer program.
Emergency leave transfer program means a program established by OPM that permits Federal employees to transfer their unused annual leave to other Federal employees adversely affected by a disaster or emergency, as declared by the President.
Employee means —
(1) An employee as defined in 5 U.S.C. 6331(1); or
(2) An employee of a Judicial branch entity.
Family member has the meaning given that term in § 630.902.
Leave year has the meaning given that term in § 630.201.
Parent has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Son or daughter has the meaning given that term in subpart I of this part.
Transferred annual leave means donated annual leave credited to an approved emergency leave recipient's annual leave account.
[73 FR 65500, Nov. 4, 2008, as amended at 75 FR 33497, June 14, 2010]
(a) When directed by the President, OPM will establish an emergency leave transfer program that permits an employee to donate his or her accrued annual leave to employees of the same or other agencies who are adversely affected by a disaster or emergency as defined in § 630.1102. In certain situations, OPM may delegate to an agency the authority to establish an emergency leave transfer program.
(b) OPM will notify agencies of the establishment of an emergency leave transfer program for a specific disaster or emergency, as declared by the President. Once notified, each agency affected by the disaster or emergency is authorized to do the following:
(1) Determine whether, and how much, donated annual leave is needed by affected employees;
(2) Approve emergency leave donors and/or emergency leave recipients within the agency, as appropriate;
(3) Facilitate the distribution of donated annual leave from approved emergency leave donors to approved emergency leave recipients within the agency; and
(4) Determine the period of time for which donated annual leave may be accepted for distribution to approved emergency leave recipients.
A leave bank established under subchapter IV of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, and subpart J of part 630 may, with the concurrence of the leave bank board established under § 630.1003, donate annual leave to an emergency leave transfer program administered by its own agency, or, during a Governmentwide transfer of emergency leave coordinated by OPM, to an emergency leave transfer program administered by another agency. Donated annual leave not used by an emergency leave recipient must be returned to the leave bank as provided in § 630.1117.
[74 FR 10166, Mar. 10, 2009]
(a) An employee who has been adversely affected by a disaster or emergency may make written application to his or her employing agency to become an emergency leave recipient. If an employee is not capable of making written application, a personal representative may make written application on behalf of the employee.
(b) An employee who has a family member who has been adversely affected by a disaster or emergency also may make written application to his or her employing agency to become an emergency leave recipient. An emergency leave recipient may use donated annual leave to assist an affected family member, provided such family member has no reasonable access to other forms of assistance.
(c) For the purpose of this subpart, an employee is considered to be adversely affected by a major disaster or emergency if the disaster or emergency has caused the employee, or a family member of the employee, severe hardship to such a degree that his or her absence from work is required.
(d) The employee's application must be accompanied by the following information:
(1) The name, position title, and grade or pay level of the potential emergency leave recipient;
(2) A statement describing his or her need for leave from the emergency leave transfer program; and
(3) Any additional information that may be required by the potential leave recipient's employing agency.
(e) An agency may determine a time period by which an employee must apply to become an emergency leave recipient after the occurrence of a disaster or emergency, as defined in § 630.1102.
An agency must review an application to become an emergency leave recipient under procedures the agency has established for the purpose of determining that a potential leave recipient is or has been affected by a disaster or emergency, as defined in § 630.1102.
Once the employee's application to become an emergency leave recipient is either approved or disapproved, the agency must notify the employee (or his or her personal representative who made application on the employee's behalf) within 10 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the date the application was received (or the date established by the agency, if that date is later). If disapproved, the agency must give the reason for its disapproval.
An approved emergency leave recipient is not required to exhaust his or her accrued annual and sick leave before receiving donated leave under the emergency leave transfer program and the recipient is eligible to be placed in a paid leave status using transferred annual leave.
An employee may voluntarily submit a written request to his or her agency that a specified number of hours of his or her accrued annual leave, consistent with the limitations in § 630.1110, be transferred from his or her annual leave account to an emergency leave transfer program established under § 630.1103. An emergency leave donor may not donate annual leave for transfer to a specific emergency leave recipient under this subpart. Donated annual leave not used by an emergency leave recipient must be returned to the emergency leave donor(s) and/or leave banks as provided in § 630.1117.
(a) An emergency leave donor may not contribute less than 1 hour or more than 104 hours of annual leave in a leave year to an emergency leave transfer program. Each agency may establish written criteria for waiving the 104-hour limitation on donating annual leave in a leave year.
(b) Annual leave donated to an emergency leave transfer program may not be applied against the limitations on the donation of annual leave under the voluntary leave transfer or leave bank programs established under 5 U.S.C. 6332 and 6362, respectively.
An emergency leave recipient may receive a maximum of 240 hours of donated annual leave at any one time from an emergency leave transfer program for each disaster or emergency. After taking into consideration the amount of donated annual leave available to all approved emergency leave recipients and the needs of individual emergency leave recipients, an employing agency may allow an employee to receive additional disbursements of donated annual leave based on the employee's continuing need. Each disbursement of transferred annual leave may not exceed 240 hours.
(a) If an agency does not receive sufficient amounts of donated annual leave to meet the needs of approved emergency leave recipients within the agency, the agency may contact OPM to obtain assistance in receiving donated annual leave from other agencies. The agency must notify OPM of the total amount of donated annual leave needed for transfer to the agency's approved emergency leave recipients. OPM will solicit and coordinate the transfer of donated annual leave from other Federal agencies to affected agencies who may have a shortfall of donated annual leave. OPM will determine the period of time for which donations of accrued annual leave may be accepted for transfer to affected agencies.
(b) Each Federal agency OPM contacts for the purpose of providing donated annual leave to an agency in need must—
(1) Approve emergency leave donors under the conditions specified in §§ 630.1109 and 630.1110 and determine how much donated annual leave is available for transfer to an affected agency;
(2) Maintain records on the amount of annual leave donated by each emergency leave donor to the emergency leave transfer program (for the purpose of restoring unused transferred annual leave under § 630.1117(b)).
(3) Report the total amount of annual leave donated to the emergency leave transfer program to OPM; and
(4) When OPM has accepted the donated annual leave, debit the amount of annual leave donated to the emergency leave transfer program from each emergency leave donor's annual leave account.
(c) OPM will notify each affected agency of the aggregate amount of donated annual leave that will be credited to it for transfer to its approved emergency leave recipient(s). The affected agency will determine the amount of donated annual leave to be transferred to each emergency leave recipient (an amount that may vary according to individual needs).
(d) The affected agency must credit the annual leave account of each approved emergency leave recipient as soon as possible after the date OPM notifies the agency of the amount of donated annual leave that will be credited to the agency under paragraph (c) of this section.
(a) Any donated annual leave an emergency leave recipient receives from an emergency leave transfer program may be used only for purposes related to the disaster or emergency for which the emergency leave recipient was approved. Each agency is responsible for ensuring that annual leave donated under the emergency leave transfer program is used appropriately.
(b) Annual leave transferred under this subpart may be—
(1) Substituted retroactively for any period of leave without pay used because of the adverse effects of the disaster or emergency; or
(2) Used to liquidate an indebtedness incurred by the emergency leave recipient for advanced annual or sick leave used because of the adverse effects of the disaster or emergency. The agency may advance annual or sick leave, as appropriate (even if the employee has available annual and sick leave), so that the emergency leave recipient is not forced to use his or her accrued leave before donated annual leave becomes available.
While an emergency leave recipient is using donated annual leave from an emergency leave transfer program, annual and sick leave continue to accrue to the credit of the employee at the same rate as if he or she were in a paid leave status under 5 U.S.C. chapter 63, subchapter I, and will be subject to the limitations imposed by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a), (b), (c), and (f) at the end of the leave year in which the transferred annual leave is received.
Donated annual leave transferred to a leave recipient under this subpart may not be—
(a) Included in a lump-sum payment under 5 U.S.C. 5551 or 5552;
(b) Recredited to a former employee who is reemployed by a Federal agency; or
(c) Used to establish initial eligibility for immediate retirement or acquire eligibility to continue health benefits into retirement under 5 U.S.C. 6302(g).
The disaster or emergency affecting the employee as an emergency leave recipient terminates at the earliest occurrence of the following conditions.
(a) When the employing agency determines that the disaster or emergency has terminated;
(b) When the employee's Federal service terminates;
(c) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the employee, or his or her personal representative, notifies the emergency leave recipient's agency that he or she is no longer affected by such disaster or emergency;
(d) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the employee's agency determines, after giving the employee or his or her personal representative written notice and an opportunity to answer orally or in writing, that the employee is no longer affected by such disaster or emergency; or
(e) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the employee's agency receives notice that OPM has approved an application for disability retirement for the emergency leave recipient under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System, as appropriate.
(a) When a disaster or emergency is terminated, any unused annual leave donated to the emergency leave transfer program must be returned by the employing agency to the emergency leave donors, and if annual leave was donated by any leave bank(s) it must be returned to the leave bank(s).
(b) Each agency must determine the amount of annual leave to be restored to any leave bank and/or to each of the emergency leave donors who, on the date leave restoration is made, is employed in the Federal service. The amount of unused annual leave to be returned to each emergency leave donor and/or leave bank must be proportional to the amount of annual leave donated by the employee or the leave bank to the emergency leave transfer program for such disaster or emergency, and must be returned according to the procedures outlined in § 630.911(b). Any unused annual leave remaining after the distribution will be subject to forfeiture.
(c) Annual leave donated to an emergency leave transfer program for a specific disaster or emergency may not be transferred to another emergency leave transfer program established for a different disaster or emergency.
(d) At the election of the emergency leave donor, the employee may choose to have the agency restore unused donated annual leave by crediting the restored annual leave to the emergency leave donor's annual leave account in either the current leave year or the first pay period of the following leave year.
(a) An employee may not directly or indirectly intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any emergency leave donor or emergency leave recipient for the purpose of interfering with any right such employee may have with respect to donating, receiving, or using annual leave under this subpart.
(b) For the purpose of paragraph (a) of this section, the term “intimidate, threaten, or coerce” includes promising to confer or conferring any benefit (such as appointment or promotion or compensation) or effecting or threatening to effect any reprisal (such as deprivation of appointment, promotion, or compensation).
58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Purpose. This subpart provides regulations to implement sections 6381 through 6387 of title 5, United States Code. This subpart must be read together with those sections of law. Sections 6381 through 6387 of title 5, United States Code, provide a standard approach to providing family and medical leave to Federal employees by prescribing an entitlement to a total of 12 administrative workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for certain family and medical needs, as specified in § 630.1203(a) of this part. This subpart also provides the basis for determining the periods of unpaid leave for which paid parental leave may be substituted under subpart Q of this part, which must be read with this subpart to establish eligibility.
(b) Applicability.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, this subpart applies to any employee who—
(i)
(A) Is defined as an “employee” under 5 U.S.C. 6301(2); or
(B) Is an employee carrying out screening functions who is appointed under section 111(d) of Public Law 107-71 (49 U.S.C. 44935 note); and
(ii) Has completed at least 12 months of service (excluding any service as an employee identified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section) at any time as—
(A) An employee, as defined under 5 U.S.C. 6301(2);
(B) An employee of the Veterans Health Administration appointed under title 38, United States Code, in occupations listed in 38 U.S.C. 7421;
(C) A “teacher” or an individual holding a “teaching position,” as defined in section 901 of title 20, United States Code;
(D) An employee identified in section 2105(c) of title 5, United States Code, who is paid from nonappropriated funds;
(E) An employee carrying out screening functions who is appointed under section 111(d) of Public Law 107-71 (49 U.S.C. 44935 note); or
(F) An employee performing covered active duty (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 6381(7)(B)) that interrupts civilian service due to a qualifying call or order for deployment to a foreign country as a member of the National Guard or Reserves, to the extent that such active duty is not already creditable service under paragraphs (A) through (E) of this paragraph (b)(1)(ii).
(2) This subpart does not apply to—
(i) An individual employed by the government of the District of Columbia;
(ii) An employee serving under a temporary appointment with a time limitation of 1 year or less;
(iii) An intermittent employee, as defined in 5 CFR 340.401(c); or
(iv) Any employee covered by Title I or Title V of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-3, February 5, 1993). The Department of Labor has issued regulations implementing Title I at 29 CFR part 825.
(3) For the purpose of applying sections 6381 through 6387 of title 5, United States Code—
(i) An employee of the Veterans Health Administration appointed under title 38, United States Code, in occupations listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(1) is be governed by the terms and conditions of regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
(ii) A “teacher” or an individual holding a “teaching position,” as defined in section 901 of title 20, United States Code, shall be governed by the terms and conditions of regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense; and
(iii) An employee identified in section 2105(c) of title 5, United States Code, who is paid from nonappropriated funds shall be governed by the terms and conditions of regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate.
(4) The regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of Defense, or Secretary of Homeland Security under paragraph (b)(3) of this section shall, to the extent appropriate, be consistent with the regulations prescribed in this subpart and the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Labor to carry out Title I of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 at 29 CFR part 825.
(c) Agency responsibilities. The head of an agency having employees subject to this subpart is responsible for the proper administration of this subpart, including the responsibility of informing employees of their entitlements and obligations.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, as amended at 61 FR 64451, Dec. 5, 1996; 65 FR 26486, May 8, 2000; 85 FR 48089, Aug. 10, 2020]
In this subpart:
Accrued leave has the meaning given that term in § 630.201 of this part.
Accumulated leave has the meaning given that term in § 630.201 of this part.
Administrative workweek means the scheduled tour of duty within the workweek established by the agency for an employee under the definition of “administrative workweek” in 5 CFR 610.102.
Adoption refers to a legal process in which an individual becomes the legal parent of another's child. The source of an adopted child—e.g., whether from a licensed placement agency or otherwise—is not a factor in determining eligibility for leave under this subpart.
Birth means the delivery of a living child. When the term “birth” is used in connection with the use of leave under this subpart before birth, it refers to an anticipated birth.
Covered active duty or call to covered active duty status means—
(1) In the case of a member of a regular component of the Armed Forces, duty during the deployment of the member with the Armed Forces to a foreign country under a call or order to active duty (or notification of an impending call or order to active duty); and
(2) In the case of a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, duty during the deployment of the member with the Armed Forces to a foreign country under a call or order to active duty (or notification of an impending call or order to active duty) in support of a contingency operation pursuant to any of the following sections of title 10, United States Code, or any other provision of law during a war or during a national emergency declared by the President or Congress:
(i) Section 688, which authorizes ordering to active duty retired members of the Regular Armed Forces and members of the Retired Reserve retired after 20 years for length of service, and members of the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve;
(ii) Section 12301(a), which authorizes ordering all reserve component members to active duty in the case of war or national emergency declared by Congress, or when otherwise authorized by law;
(iii) Section 12302, which authorizes ordering any unit or unassigned member of the Ready Reserve to active duty in time of national emergency declared by the President after January 1, 1953, or when otherwise authorized by law;
(iv) Section 12304, which authorizes ordering any unit or unassigned member of the Selected Reserve and certain members of the Individual Ready Reserve to active duty;
(v) Section 12305, which authorizes the suspension of promotion, retirement, or separation rules for certain Reserve components;
(vi) Section 12406, which authorizes calling the National Guard into Federal service in certain circumstances; or
(vii) Chapter 15, which authorizes calling the National Guard and State militia into Federal service in the case of insurrections and national emergencies.
Covered military member means the employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status.
Employee means an individual to whom this subpart applies.
Essential functions means the fundamental job duties of the employee's position, as defined in 29 CFR 1630.2(n). An employee who must be absent from work to receive medical treatment for a serious health condition is considered to be unable to perform the essential functions of the position during the absence for treatment.
Family and medical leave means an employee's entitlement to 12 administrative workweeks (or 26 administrative workweeks in the case of leave under § 630.1203(j)) of unpaid leave for certain family and medical needs, as prescribed under sections 6381 through 6387 of title 5, United States Code.
Foster care means 24-hour care for children in substitution for, and away from, their parents or guardian. Such placement is made by or with the agreement of the State as a result of a voluntary agreement by the parent or guardian that the child be removed from the home, or pursuant to a judicial determination of the necessity for foster care, and involves agreement between the State and foster family to take the child. Although foster care may be with relatives of the child, State action is involved in the removal of the child from parental custody.
Health care provider means—
(1) A licensed Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy or a physician who is serving on active duty in the uniformed services and is designated by the uniformed service to conduct examinations under this subpart;
(2) Any health care provider recognized by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or who is licensed or certified under Federal or State law to provide the service in question;
(3) A health care provider as defined in paragraph (2) of this definition who practices in a country other than the United States, who is authorized to practice in accordance with the laws of that country, and who is performing within the scope of his or her practice as defined under such law;
(4) A Christian Science practitioner listed with the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts; or
(5) A Native American, including an Eskimo, Aleut, and Native Hawaiian, who is recognized as a traditional healing practitioner by native traditional religious leaders who practices traditional healing methods as believed, expressed, and exercised in Indian religions of the American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut, and Native Hawaiians, consistent with Public Law 95-314, August 11, 1978 (92 Stat. 469), as amended by Public Law 103-344, October 6, 1994 (108 Stat. 3125).
In loco parentis refers to the situation of an individual who has day-to-day responsibility for the care and financial support of a child or, in the case of an employee, who had such responsibility for the employee when the employee was a child. A biological or legal relationship is not necessary.
Incapacity means the inability to work, attend school, or perform other regular daily activities because of a serious health condition or treatment for or recovery from a serious health condition.
Intermittent leave or leave taken intermittently means leave taken in separate blocks of time, rather than for one continuous period of time, and may include leave periods of 1 hour to several weeks. Leave may be taken for a period of less than 1 hour if agency policy provides for a minimum charge for leave of less than 1 hour under § 630.206(a).
Leave without pay means an approved absence from duty in a nonpay status during an employee's scheduled tour of duty.
Parent means a biological, adoptive, step, or foster father or mother, or any individual who stands or stood in loco parentis to an employee meeting the definition of son or daughter below. This term does not include parents “in law.”
Placement means a new placement of a son or daughter with an employee for adoption or foster care. For example, this excludes the adoption of a stepchild or a foster child who has already been a member of the employee's household and has an existing parent-child relationship with an adopting parent. When the term “placement” is used in connection with the use of leave under this subpart before placement has occurred, it refers to a planned or anticipated placement.
Reduced leave schedule means a daily or weekly work schedule under which the usual number of hours actually worked during the employee's scheduled tour of duty are reduced as a result of the increased use of leave.
Scheduled tour of duty means the regular work hours in an established full-time or part-time work schedule during which an employee is charged leave or time off when absent. A seasonal employee is not considered to have such a tour during off-season periods when the employee is scheduled to be released from work and placed in full-time nonpay status.
Serious health condition.
(1) Serious health condition means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves—
(i) Inpatient care (i.e., an overnight stay) in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility, including any period of incapacity or any subsequent treatment in connection with such inpatient care; or
(ii) Continuing treatment by a health care provider that includes (but is not limited to) examinations to determine if there is a serious health condition and evaluations of such conditions if the examinations or evaluations determine that a serious health condition exists. Continuing treatment by a health care provider may include one or more of the following—
(A) A period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive calendar days, including any subsequent treatment or period of incapacity relating to the same condition, that also involves—
(1) Treatment two or more times by a health care provider, by a health care provider under the direct supervision of the affected individual's health care provider, or by a provider of health care services under orders of, or on referral by, a health care provider; or
(2) Treatment by a health care provider on at least one occasion which results in a regimen of continuing treatment under the supervision of the health care provider (e.g., a course of prescription medication or therapy requiring special equipment to resolve or alleviate the health condition).
(B) Any period of incapacity due to pregnancy or childbirth, or for prenatal care, even if the affected individual does not receive active treatment from a health care provider during the period of incapacity or the period of incapacity does not last more than 3 consecutive calendar days.
(C) Any period of incapacity or treatment for such incapacity due to a chronic serious health condition that—
(1) Requires periodic visits for treatment by a health care provider or by a health care provider under the direct supervision of the affected individual's health care provider,
(2) Continues over an extended period of time (including recurring episodes of a single underlying condition); and
(3) May cause episodic rather than a continuing period of incapacity (e.g., asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.). The condition is covered even if the affected individual does not receive active treatment from a health care provider during the period of incapacity or the period of incapacity does not last more than 3 consecutive calendar days.
(D) A period of incapacity which is permanent or long-term due to a condition for which treatment may not be effective. The affected individual must be under the continuing supervision of, but need not be receiving active treatment by, a health care provider (e.g., Alzheimer's, severe stroke, or terminal stages of a disease).
(E) Any period of absence to receive multiple treatments (including any period of recovery) by a health care provider or by a provider of health care services under orders of, or on referral by, a health care provider, either for restorative surgery after an accident or other injury or for a condition that would likely result in a period of incapacity or more than 3 consecutive calendar days in the absence of medical intervention or treatment (e.g., chemotherapy/radiation for cancer, physical therapy for severe arthritis, dialysis for kidney disease).
(2) (Serious health condition does not include routine physical, eye, or dental examinations; a regimen of continuing treatment that includes the taking of over-the-counter medications, bed-rest, exercise, and other similar activities that can be initiated without a visit to the health care provider; a condition for which cosmetic treatments are administered, unless inpatient hospital care is required or unless complications develop; or an absence because of an employee's use of an illegal substance, unless the employee is receiving treatment for substance abuse by a health care provider or by a provider of health care services on referral by a health care provider. Ordinarily, unless complications arise, the common cold, the flu, earaches, upset stomach, minor ulcers, headaches (other than migraines), routine dental or orthodontia problems, and periodontal disease are not serious health conditions. Allergies, restorative dental or plastic surgery after an injury, removal of cancerous growth, or mental illness resulting from stress may be serious health conditions only if such conditions require inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider.)
Son or daughter means a biological, adopted, or foster child; a step child; a legal ward; or a child of a person standing in loco parentis who is—
(1) Under 18 years of age; or
(2) 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability. A son or daughter incapable of self-care requires active assistance or supervision to provide daily self-care in three or more of the “activities of daily living” (ADL's) or “instrumental activities of daily living” (IADL's). Activities of daily living include adaptive activities such as caring appropriately for one's grooming and hygiene, bathing, dressing, and eating. Instrumental activities of daily living include cooking, cleaning, shopping, taking public transportation, paying bills, maintaining a residence, using the telephones and directories, using a post office, etc. A “physical or mental disability” refers to a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual as defined in 29 CFR 1630.2 (h), (i) and (j).
Son or daughter on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status means the employee's biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild, legal ward, or a child for whom the employee stood in loco parentis, who is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status, and who is of any age.
Spouse, as defined in the statute, means a husband or wife. For purposes of this definition, husband or wife refers to the other person with whom an individual entered into marriage as defined or recognized under State law for purposes of marriage in the State where the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside of any State, if the marriage is valid in the place where entered into and could have been entered into in at least one State. This definition includes an individual in a same-sex or common law marriage that either:
(1) Was entered into in a State that recognizes such marriages, or
(2) If entered into outside of any State, is valid in the place where entered into and could have been entered into in at least one State.
State means any State of the United States or the District of Columbia or any Territory or possession of the United States.
Tour of duty has the meaning given that term in § 610.102 of this chapter.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, as amended at 60 FR 67287, Dec. 29, 1995; 61 FR 64451, Dec. 5, 1996; 65 FR 37240, June 13, 2000; 76 FR 60704, Sept. 30, 2011; 81 FR 20524, Apr. 8, 2016; 85 FR 48089, Aug. 10, 2020]
(a) An employee shall be entitled to a total of 12 administrative workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the following reasons:
(1) The birth of a son or daughter of the employee and the care of such son or daughter;
(2) The placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care and the care of such son or daughter.
(3) The care of a spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee, if such spouse, son, daughter, or parent has a serious health condition; or
(4) A serious health condition of the employee that makes the employee unable to perform any one or more of the essential functions of his or her position.
(5) Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on covered active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty) in the Armed Forces.
(b) An employee must invoke his or her entitlement to family and medical leave under paragraph (a) of this section, subject to the notification and medical certification requirements in §§ 630.1207 and 630.1208. An employee may not retroactively invoke his or her entitlement to family and medical leave. However, if an employee and his or her personal representative are physically or mentally incapable of invoking the employee's entitlement to FMLA leave during the entire period in which the employee is absent from work for an FMLA-qualifying purpose under paragraph (a) of this section, the employee may retroactively invoke his or her entitlement to FMLA leave within 5 workdays after returning to work. In such cases, the incapacity of the employee must be documented by a written medical certification from a health care provider. In addition, the employee must provide documentation acceptable to the agency explaining the inability of his or her personal representative to contact the agency and invoke the employee's entitlement to FMLA leave during the entire period in which the employee was absent from work for an FMLA-qualifying purpose. An employee may take only the amount of family and medical leave that is necessary to manage the circumstances that prompted the need for leave under paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) The 12-month period referred to in paragraph (a) of this section begins on the date an employee first takes leave for a family or medical need specified in paragraph (a) of this section and continues for 12 months. An employee is not entitled to 12 additional workweeks of leave until the previous 12-month period ends and an event or situation occurs that entitles the employee to another period of family or medical leave. (This may include a continuation of a previous situation or circumstance.)
(d)
(1) The entitlement to leave under paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section shall expire at the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date of birth or placement. Leave for a birth or placement must be concluded within this 12-month period.
(2)
(i) Leave taken under paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, may begin prior to the actual date of birth or placement for adoption or foster care.
(ii) Use of leave under paragraph (a)(1) of this section before the date of birth is limited to situations in which an employee is using the leave—
(A) Because of the employee's serious health condition related to the anticipated event of the employee giving birth to a son or daughter; or
(B) In order to care for the birth mother of the employee's expected son or daughter in connection with the birth mother's serious health condition related to pregnancy.
(iii) Use of leave under paragraph (a)(2) before the date of placement is limited to situations in which the employee must be absent to engage in activities necessary to allow an anticipated adoption or a foster care arrangement to proceed.
(e)
(1) Family and medical leave under this subpart is available to full-time and part-time employees. The entitlement to a total of 12 administrative workweeks of leave in connection with leave granted under paragraph (a) of this section must be converted to hours or days, as provided in paragraphs (e)(2) and (e)(3) of this section. Leave under paragraph (a) allows an employee to be absent during the employee's scheduled tour of duty established for leave charging purposes. Such leave is not applied to days designated as holidays and other nonworkdays when the employee would be excused from duty.
(2) For employees who are charged leave on an hourly basis (including fractions of an hour), the 12 administrative workweeks referenced in paragraph (a) of this section must be converted to hours based on the number of hours in the employee's scheduled tour of duty (at the time the 12-month period of leave eligibility commences) subject to the following rules:
(i) For a regular full-time employee with 80 hours in the scheduled tour of duty over a biweekly pay period, the hours equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks is 480 hours.
(ii) For a full-time employee with an uncommon tour of duty (as defined in § 630.201 and described in § 630.210), the hours equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks is derived by multiplying 6 times the number of hours in the employee's biweekly scheduled tour of duty (or 6 times the average hours if the biweekly tour hours vary over an established cycle). For example, if an employee has an uncommon tour consisting of six 24-hour shifts (144 hours) per biweekly pay period, the amount would be 864 hours.
(iii) For a part-time employee, the hours equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks is derived by multiplying 6 times the number of hours in the employee's scheduled tour of duty over a biweekly pay period. For example, if an employee has a part-time scheduled tour of duty that consists of 40 hours in a biweekly pay period, the amount would be 240 hours.
(3) For employees who are charged leave on a daily basis, the days equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks must be derived based on the average number of workdays in the employee's established tour of duty over a biweekly pay period. For example, if an employee had 8 workdays each biweekly pay period, the days equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks would be 48 days.
(f) If there is a change in an employee's scheduled tour of duty during any 12-month period that commenced due to use of family and medical leave, and the employee has not used the full allotment of family and medical leave during such 12-month period, the remaining balance of family and medical leave must be recalculated based on the change in the number of average hours in the employee's scheduled tour of duty. For example, if a regular full-time employee has a balance of 120 hours of unused family and medical leave for a 12-month period that is in progress and then converts to a part-time schedule of 20 hours per week, the balance would be recalculated to be 60 hours. (Since the old schedule was 80 hours biweekly or an average of 40 hours weekly, the new part-time tour is half of the former full-time tour. 40/80 times 120 equals 60.)
(g) Leave taken because of the birth of a son or daughter of the employee, as described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, includes leave necessary for an employee who is the birth mother to recover from giving birth, or for an employee who is the other parent to care for the birth mother during her recovery period, even if the employee is not involved in caring for the son or daughter during portions of that recovery period.
(h) An agency may not put an employee on family and medical leave and may not subtract leave from an employee's entitlement to leave under paragraph (a) of this section unless the agency has obtained confirmation from the employee of his or her intent to invoke entitlement to leave under paragraph (b) of this section. An employee's notice of his or her intent to take leave under § 630.1207 may suffice as the employee's confirmation.
(i) Leave taken in order to care for a newly born or placed son or daughter, as described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section, generally refers to leave covering periods when the parent-employee is in the home with the child or is otherwise involved in spending time with the child (bonding). It may include short periods away from the child's physical presence to purchase supplies needed to care for the child (e.g., buying baby food, diapers, or other supplies). Leave based on the “care” language in paragraph (a)(1) of this section would not be appropriate if an employee is not engaged in activities directly connected to care of the child—for example, if the employee is physically located outside the local geographic area where the child is located.
(j)
(1) For family and medical leave granted in connection with care of a covered servicemember under 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(3) and (4), the leave entitlement is 26 administrative workweeks in a single 12-month period. This leave applies to an employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered servicemember and who provides care for the covered servicemember. In applying this leave, the definitions in 5 U.S.C. 6381(8) through (12) must be applied.
(2) The entitlement of 26 administrative workweeks of leave described in paragraph (j)(1) of this section must be converted to hours or days, consistent with the methodologies set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. Any recalculation of the unused leave entitlement due to a change in the employee's scheduled tour of duty must be made in a manner consistent with the methodology described in paragraph (f) of this section.
(3) If an employee receives leave under this paragraph (j) and leave under paragraph (a) of this section during the single 12-month period, the combined amount of leave in that period may not exceed 26 administrative workweeks. With respect to the single 12-month period, an employee who uses more than 14 weeks of leave under this paragraph (j) will not be able to use the full allotment of 12 administrative workweeks in connection with leave granted under paragraph (a) of this section. The leave granted under this paragraph (j) will not count against the employee's 12-week FMLA entitlement in any other 12-month period, as established under paragraph (a) of this section. For example, consider an employee who invokes family and medical leave to care for a covered servicemember and uses 16 weeks of such leave starting on August 15, 2022. If the same employee gave birth to a child on October 7, 2022, the employee would be able to use only 10 weeks of family and medical leave under § 630.1203(a)(1) during the single 12-month period from August 15, 2022, to August 14, 2023, since there is a 26-week limit for that single 12-month period. That would also limit the employee to no more than 10 weeks of paid parental leave during that single 12-month period. However, the employee would be able to use family and medical leave under § 630.1203(a)(1) after August 14, 2023, and before the expiration of the 12-month period following the birth on October 6, 2023, and could substitute (to the extent possible) any remaining amount of the employee's 12 weeks of paid parental leave, or substitute annual leave or sick leave, if applicable.
(4) In addressing requests to use intermittent leave, or leave on a reduced leave schedule, in connection with leave under this paragraph (j), an agency is subject to the same rules that govern such requests for leave under paragraphs (a)(3) and (a)(4) of this section. (See 5 U.S.C. 6382(b) and § 630.1205.)
(5) Employees who seek to use leave under this paragraph (j) are subject to the same notification and scheduling requirements that apply to employees receiving leave under paragraph (a)(1) through (4) of this section in parallel circumstances. (See 5 U.S.C. 6382(e)(1) and (2) and § 630.1207.)
(6) An agency may require that a request for leave under this paragraph (j) be supported by a medical certification, as provided by 5 U.S.C. 6383(f).
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, as amended at 61 FR 64452, Dec. 5, 1996; 65 FR 26486, May 8, 2000; 76 FR 60704, Sept. 30, 2011; 85 FR 48090, Aug. 10, 2020]
(a) An employee may take FMLA leave while the employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent (the “covered military member”) is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status for one or more of the following qualifying exigencies:
(1) Short-notice deployment. To address any issue that arises from the fact that a covered military member is notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty 7 or fewer calendar days prior to the date of deployment. Leave taken for this purpose can be used for a period of up to 7 calendar days beginning on the date a covered military member is notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty.
(2) Military events and related activities.
(i) To attend any official ceremony, program, or event sponsored by the military that is related to the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member; and
(ii) To attend family support or assistance programs and informational briefings sponsored or promoted by the military, military service organizations, or the American Red Cross that are related to the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member.
(3) Childcare and school activities.
(i) To arrange for alternative childcare when the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member necessitates a change in the existing childcare arrangement for a child;
(ii) To provide childcare on an urgent, immediate need basis (but not on a routine, regular, or everyday basis) when the need to provide such care arises from the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member for a child;
(iii) To enroll in or transfer to a new school or day care facility a child, when enrollment or transfer is necessitated by the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member; and
(iv) To attend meetings with staff at a school or a daycare facility, such as meetings with school officials regarding disciplinary measures, parent-teacher conferences, or meetings with school counselors, for a child when such meetings are necessary due to circumstances arising from the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member.
(v) For purposes of paragraphs (a)(3)(i) through (a)(3)(iv) of this section, “child” means a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, or a legal ward of a covered military member, or a child for whom a covered military member stands in loco parentis, who is either under age 18, or age 18 or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability at the time the FMLA leave is to commence.
(4) Financial and legal arrangements.
(i) To make or update financial or legal arrangements to address the covered military member's absence while on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status, such as preparing and executing financial and health care powers of attorney, transferring bank account signature authority, enrolling in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS), obtaining military identification cards, or preparing or updating a will or living trust; and
(ii) To act as the covered military member's representative before a Federal, State, or local agency for purposes of obtaining, arranging, or appealing military service benefits while the covered military member is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status, and for a period of 90 days following the termination of the covered military member's covered active duty status.
(5) Counseling. To attend counseling provided by someone other than a health care provider for oneself, for the covered military member, or for a child as defined in paragraph (a)(3)(v) of this section, provided that the need for counseling arises from the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member.
(6) Rest and recuperation. To spend time with a covered military member who is on short-term, temporary, rest and recuperation leave during the period of deployment. Eligible employees may take up to 5 days of leave for each instance of rest and recuperation.
(7) Post-deployment activities.
(i) To attend arrival ceremonies, reintegration briefings and events, and any other official ceremony or program sponsored by the military for a period of 90 days following the termination of the covered military member's covered active duty status; and
(ii) To address issues that arise from the death of a covered military member while on covered active duty status, such as meeting and recovering the body of the covered military member and making funeral arrangements.
(8) Additional activities. To address other events that arise out of the covered military member's covered active duty or call to covered active duty status, provided that the agency and employee agree that such leave qualifies as an exigency, and that they agree to both the timing and duration of such leave.
(b) An employee is eligible to take FMLA leave because of a qualifying exigency when the covered military member is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status as a member of a regular component of the Armed Forces, or when the covered military member is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status in support of a contingency operation pursuant to one of the provisions of law identified in the definition of covered active duty or call to covered active duty status as either a member of the reserve components (Army National Guard of the United States, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard of the United States, Air Force Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve), or a retired member of the Regular Armed Forces or Reserve.
(c) For those called to covered active duty status in support of a contingency operation—
(1) A call to active duty for purposes of leave taken because of a qualifying exigency refers to a Federal call to active duty. State calls to active duty are not covered unless under order of the President of the United States pursuant to one of the provisions of law identified in paragraph (b) of this section in support of a contingency operation.
(2) For such members, the active duty orders of a covered military member will generally specify whether the servicemember is serving in support of a contingency operation by citation to the relevant section of title 10 of the United States Code or by reference to the specific name of the contingency operation, or both. A military operation qualifies as a contingency operation if it:
(i) Is designated by the Secretary of Defense as an operation in which members of the Armed Forces are or may become involved in military actions, operations, or hostilities against an enemy of the United States or against an opposing military force; or
(ii) Results in the call or order to, or retention on, active duty of members of the uniformed services under section 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12305, or 12406, or chapter 15 of title 10 of the United States Code, or any other provision of law during a war or during a national emergency declared by the President or Congress. (See 10 U.S.C. 101(a)(13).)
[76 FR 60704, Sept. 30, 2011]
(a) Leave under § 630.1203(a) (1) or (2) of this part shall not be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule unless the employee and the agency agree to do so.
(b) Leave under § 630.1203(a)(3) or (4) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule when medically necessary, subject to §§ 630.1207 and 630.1208 (b)(6). Leave under § 630.1203(a)(5) may be taken on an intermittent or reduced leave schedule basis, subject to §§ 630.1207 and 630.1209.
(c) If an employee takes leave under § 630.1203(a) (3) or (4) of this part intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule that is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment or recovery from a serious health condition, the agency may place the employee temporarily in an available alternative position for which the employee is qualified and that can better accommodate recurring periods of leave. Upon returning from leave, the employee is entitled to be returned to his or her permanent position or an equivalent position, as provided in § 630.1210(a) of this part.
(d) For the purpose of applying paragraph (c) of this section, an alternative position need not consist of equivalent duties, but must be in the same commuting area and must provide—
(1) An equivalent grade or pay level, including any applicable locality payment under 5 CFR part 531, subpart F; special rate supplement under 5 CFR part 530, subpart C; or similar payment or supplement under other legal authority;
(2) The same type of appointment, work schedule, status, and tenure; and
(3) The same employment benefits made available to the employee in his or her previous position (e.g., life insurance, health benefits, retirement coverage, and leave accrual).
(e) The agency shall determine the available alternative position that has equivalent pay and benefits consistent with Federal laws, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701) and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 2000e).
(f) Only the amount of leave taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule, as these terms are defined in § 630.1202, shall be subtracted from the total amount of leave available to the employee under § 630.1203 (e) and (f).
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, as amended at 61 FR 3544, Feb. 1, 1996; 61 FR 64453, Dec. 5, 1996; 70 FR 31314, May 31, 2005. Redesignated and amended at 76 FR 60704, 60705, Sept. 30, 2011]
(a) Leave without pay. Except as otherwise provided in this section, family and medical leave taken under § 630.1203(a) must be leave without pay.
(b) Leave connected to birth or placement.
(1) For family and medical leave taken under § 630.1203(a)(1) or (2) (corresponding to subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(1), respectively), an employee may elect to substitute—
(i) Up to 12 administrative workweeks of paid parental leave in connection with the occurrence of a birth or placement, as provided in subpart Q of this part; and
(ii) Any annual or sick leave to the employee's credit for such family and medical leave not covered by paid parental leave.
(2) The annual or sick leave to the employee's credit under paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section consists of the following:
(i) Accrued or accumulated annual or sick leave under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code (or equivalent annual or sick leave under another authority), without regard to the normal limitations on the use of sick leave;
(ii) Advanced annual or sick leave approved under the same terms and conditions that apply to any other agency employee who requests advanced annual or sick leave, except that the normal limitations on the use of sick leave are not applicable; and
(iii) Annual leave donated to an employee under the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program or the Voluntary Leave Bank Program, consistent with subparts I and J of this part, or equivalent donated annual leave under another authority.
(c) Leave connected to serious health condition or exigency. For family and medical leave taken under § 630.1203(a)(3), (4), or (5) (corresponding to subparagraphs (C), (D) and (E) of 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(1), respectively), an employee may elect to substitute the following paid leave for any or all of the leave without pay:
(1) Accrued or accumulated annual or sick leave under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code (or equivalent annual or sick leave under another authority), consistent with the law and regulations governing the granting and use of annual or sick leave (including the limitations on the purposes for which sick leave may be used under § 630.401(a) and the hours limitations in § 630.401(b) through (e));
(2) Advanced annual or sick leave approved under the same terms and conditions that apply to any other agency employee who requests advanced annual or sick leave; and
(3) Annual leave donated to an employee under the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program or the Voluntary Leave Bank Program, consistent with subparts I and J of this part, or equivalent donated annual leave under another authority.
(d) Leave to care for a covered servicemember. For family and medical leave taken under § 630.1203(j) (corresponding to 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(3) and (4)), an employee may elect to substitute the annual and sick leave identified in paragraph (c) of this section, except that any sick leave credited to the employee may be substituted without regard to any of the normally applicable limitations on the use of sick leave.
(e) Employee entitlement to substitute.
(1) An employee is entitled to elect whether or not to substitute paid leave for leave without pay under this subpart, as permitted in this section.
(2) An agency may not deny an employee's election to make a substitution permitted under this section.
(3) An agency may not require an employee to substitute paid leave for leave without pay.
(4) An employee may request to use annual leave or sick leave without invoking family and medical leave, and, in that case, the agency exercises its normal authority with respect to approving or disapproving the timing of when the leave may be used.
(f) Notification by employee and retroactive substitution.
(1) An employee must notify the agency of the employee's election to substitute paid leave for leave without pay under this section prior to the date such paid leave commences (i.e., no retroactive substitution), except as provided in paragraphs (f)(2) through (f)(4) of this section.
(2) An employee may retroactively substitute annual leave or sick leave for leave without pay granted under this subpart covering a past period of time, if the substitution is made in conjunction with the retroactive granting of leave without pay under § 630.1203(b).
(3) An employee may retroactively substitute transferred (donated) annual leave for leave without pay granted under this subpart in the circumstances covered by §§ 630.909(d) or 630.1009(d).
(4) An employee may retroactively substitute paid parental leave for applicable leave without pay granted under this subpart, as provided in § 630.1706(a) and subject to the requirements governing paid parental leave in subpart Q of this part. If the employee's leave without pay was not granted on a prospective basis under this subpart, the retroactive substitution of paid parental leave may not be made unless the leave without pay period has been retroactively designated as leave under this subpart, as allowed under § 630.1203(b).
[85 FR 48091, Aug. 10, 2020]
(a) If leave taken under § 630.1203(a) of this part is foreseeable based on an expected birth, placement for adoption or foster care, or planned medical treatment, the employee shall provide notice to the agency of his or her intention to take leave not less than 30 calendar days before the date the leave is to begin. If the date of birth or placement or planned medical treatment requires leave to begin within 30 calendar days, the employee shall provide such notice as is practicable.
(b) If leave taken under § 630.1203(a) (3) or (4) of this part is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment, the employee shall consult with the agency and make a reasonable effort to schedule medical treatment so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of the agency, subject to the approval of the health care provider. The agency may, for justifiable cause, request that an employee reschedule medical treatment, subject to the approval of the health care provider.
(c) If the need for leave taken under § 630.1203(a)(5) is foreseeable, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable, regardless of how far in advance the leave is being requested.
(d) If the need for leave is not foreseeable—e.g., a medical emergency or the unexpected availability of a child for adoption or foster care, and the employee cannot provide 30 calendar days' notice of his or her need for leave, the employee shall provide notice within a reasonable period of time appropriate to the circumstances involved. If necessary, notice may be given by an employee's personal representative (e.g., a family member or other responsible party). If the need for leave is not foreseeable and the employee is unable, due to circumstances beyond his or her control, to provide notice of his or her need for leave, the leave may not be delayed or denied.
(e) If the need for leave is foreseeable, and the employee fails to give 30 calendar days' notice with no reasonable excuse for the delay of notification, the agency may delay the taking of leave under § 630.1203(a) of this part until at least 30 calendar days after the date the employee provides notice of his or her need for family and medical leave.
(f) An agency may waive the notice requirements under paragraph (a) of this section and instead impose the agency's usual and customary policies or procedures for providing notification of leave. The agency's policies or procedures for providing notification of leave must not be more stringent than the requirements in this section. However, an agency may not deny an employee's entitlement to leave under § 630.1203(a) of this part if the employee fails to follow such agency policies or procedures.
(g) An agency may require that a request for leave under § 630.1203(a) (1) and (2) be supported by evidence that is administratively acceptable to the agency.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, as amended at 59 FR 62274, Dec. 2, 1994; 61 FR 64453, Dec. 5, 1996; 65 FR 26487, May 8, 2000. Redesignated and amended at 76 FR 60704, 60705, Sept. 30, 2011]
(a) An agency may require that a request for leave under § 630.1203(a) (3) or (4) be supported by written medical certification issued by the health care provider of the employee or the health care provider of the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee, as appropriate. An agency may waive the requirement for an initial medical certificate in a subsequent 12-month period if the leave under § 630.1203(a) (3) or (4) is for the same chronic or continuing condition.
(b) The written medical certification shall include—
(1) The date the serious health condition commenced;
(2) The probable duration of the serious health condition or specify that the serious health condition is a chronic or continuing condition with an unknown duration and whether the patient is presently incapacitated and the likely duration and frequency of episodes of incapacity;
(3) The appropriate medical facts within the knowledge of the health care provider regarding the serious health condition, including a general statement as to the incapacitation, examination, or treatment that may be required by a health care provider;
(4) For the purpose of leave taken under § 630.1203(a)(3) of this part—
(i) A statement from the health care provider that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee requires psychological comfort and/or physical care; needs assistance for basic medical, hygienic, nutritional, safety, or transportation needs or in making arrangements to meet such needs; and would benefit from the employee's care or presence; and
(ii) A statement from the employee on the care he or she will provide and an estimate of the amount of time needed to care for his or her spouse, son, daughter, or parent;
(5) For the purpose of leave taken under § 630.1203(a)(4), a statement that the employee is unable to perform one or more of the essential functions of his or her position or requires medical treatment for a serious health condition, based on written information provided by the agency on the essential functions of the employee's position or, if not provided, discussion with the employee about the essential functions of his or her position; and
(6) In the case of certification for intermittent leave or leave on a reduced leave schedule under § 630.1203(a) (3) or (4) for planned medical treatment, the dates (actual or estimates) on which such treatment is expected to be given, the duration of such treatment, and the period of recovery, if any, or specify that the serious health condition is a chronic or continuing condition with an unknown duration and whether the patient is presently incapacitated and the likely duration and frequency of episodes of incapacity.
(c) The information on the medical certification shall relate only to the serious health condition for which the current need for family and medical leave exists. The agency may not require any personal or confidential information in the written medical certification other than that required by paragraph (b) of this section. If an employee submits a completed medical certification signed by the health care provider, the agency may not request new information from the health care provider. However, a health care provider representing the agency, including a health care provider employed by the agency or under administrative oversight of the agency, may contact the health care provider who completed the medical certification, with the employee's permission, for purposes of clarifying the medical certification.
(d) If the agency doubts the validity of the original certification provided under paragraph (a) of this section, the agency may require, at the agency's expense, that the employee obtain the opinion of a second health care provider designated or approved by the agency concerning the information certified under paragraph (b) of this section. Any health care provider designated or approved by the agency shall not be employed by the agency or be under the administrative oversight of the agency on a regular basis unless the agency is located in an area where access to health care is extremely limited—e.g., a rural area or an overseas location where no more than one or two health care providers practice in the relevant specialty, or the only health care providers available are employed by the agency.
(e) If the opinion of the second health care provider differs from the original certification provided under paragraph (a) of this section, the agency may require, at the agency's expense, that the employee obtain the opinion of a third health care provider designated or approved jointly by the agency and the employee concerning the information certified under paragraph (b) of this section. The opinion of the third health care provider shall be binding on the agency and the employee.
(f) To remain entitled to family and medical leave under § 630.1203(a) (3) or (4) of this part, an employee or the employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent must comply with any requirement from an agency that he or she submit to examination (though not treatment) to obtain a second or third medical certification from a health care provider other than the individual's health care provider.
(g) If the employee is unable to provide the requested medical certification before leave begins, or if the agency questions the validity of the original certification provided by the employee and the medical treatment requires the leave to begin, the agency shall grant provisional leave pending final written medical certification.
(h) An employee must provide the written medical certification required by paragraphs (a), (d), (e), and (g) of this section, signed by the health care provider, no later than 15 calendar days after the date the agency requests such medical certification. If it is not practicable under the particular circumstances to provide the requested medical certification no later than 15 calendar days after the date requested by the agency despite the employee's diligent, good faith efforts, the employee must provide the medical certification within a reasonable period of time under the circumstances involved, but no later than 30 calendar days after the date the agency requests such medical certification.
(i) If, after the leave has commenced, the employee fails to provide the requested medical certification, the agency may—
(1) Charge the employee as absent without leave (AWOL); or
(2) Allow the employee to request that the provisional leave be charged as leave without pay or charged to the employee's annual and/or sick leave account, as appropriate.
(j) At its own expense, an agency may require subsequent medical recertification on a periodic basis, but not more than once every 30 calendar days, for leave taken for purposes relating to pregnancy, chronic conditions, or long-term conditions, as these terms are used in the definition of serious health condition in § 630.1202. For leave taken for all other serious health conditions and including leave taken on an intermittent or reduced leave schedule, if the health care provider has specified on the medical certification a minimum duration of the period of incapacity, the agency may not request recertification until that period has passed. An agency may require subsequent medical recertification more frequently than every 30 calendar days, or more frequently than the minimum duration of the period of incapacity specified on the medical certification, if the employee requests that the original leave period be extended, the circumstances described in the original medical certification have changed significantly, or the agency receives information that casts doubt upon the continuing validity of the medical certification.
(k) To ensure the security and confidentiality of any written medical certification under § 630.1208 or 630.1210(h) of this part, the medical certification is subject to the provisions for safeguarding information about individuals under subpart A of part 293 of this chapter.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 193, as amended at 61 FR 64453, Dec. 5, 1996; 65 FR 26487, May 8, 2000; 65 FR 38409, June 21, 2000. Redesignated and amended at 76 FR 60704, 60705, Sept. 30, 2011]
(a) Active duty orders. The first time an employee requests leave because of a qualifying exigency arising out of the covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of a covered military member, an agency may require the employee to provide a copy of the covered military member's active duty orders or other documentation issued by the military that indicates the covered military member is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status, and the dates of the covered military member's active duty service. This information need only be provided to the agency once. A copy of new active duty orders or other documentation issued by the military must be provided to the agency if the need for leave because of a qualifying exigency arises out of a different covered active duty or call to covered active duty status of the same or a different covered military member.
(b) Required information. An agency may require that leave for any qualifying exigency specified in § 630.1204 be supported by a certification from the employee that sets forth the following information:
(1) A statement or description, signed by the employee, of appropriate facts regarding the qualifying exigency for which FMLA leave is requested. The facts must be sufficient to support the need for leave. Such facts include the type of qualifying exigency for which leave is requested and any available written documentation that supports the request for leave, such as a copy of a meeting announcement for informational briefings sponsored by the military, a document confirming an appointment with a counselor or school official, or a copy of a bill for services for the handling of legal or financial affairs;
(2) The approximate date on which the qualifying exigency commenced or will commence;
(3) If an employee requests leave because of a qualifying exigency for a single, continuous period of time, the beginning and end dates for such absence;
(4) If an employee requests leave because of a qualifying exigency on an intermittent or reduced leave schedule basis, an estimate of the frequency and duration of the qualifying exigency; and
(5) If the qualifying exigency involves meeting with a third party, appropriate contact information for the individual or entity with whom the employee is meeting (such as the name, title, organization, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address) and a brief description of the purpose of the meeting.
(c) Verification. If an employee submits a complete and sufficient certification to support his or her request for leave because of a qualifying exigency, the agency may not request additional information from the employee. However, the agency may verify the information described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section and does not need the employee's permission to do so.
(1) If the qualifying exigency involves meeting with a third party, the agency may contact the individual or entity with whom the employee is meeting for purposes of verifying a meeting or appointment schedule and verifying the information provided in the employee's statement under paragraph (b)(1) of this section regarding the meeting between the employee and the specified individual or entity. No additional information may be requested by the agency.
(2) An agency may contact an appropriate unit of the Department of Defense to request verification that a covered military member is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status. No additional information may be requested by the agency.
[76 FR 60705, Sept. 30, 2011]
(a) Any employee who takes leave under § 630.1203(a) of this part shall be entitled, upon return to the agency, to be returned to—
(1) The same position held by the employee when the leave commenced; or
(2) An equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay, status, and other terms and conditions of employment.
(b) For the purpose of applying paragraph (a)(2) of this section, an equivalent position must be in the same commuting area and must carry or provide at a minimum—
(1) The same or substantially similar duties and responsibilities, which must entail substantially equivalent skill, effort, responsibility, and authority;
(2) An equivalent grade or pay level, including any applicable locality payment under 5 CFR part 531, subpart F; special rate supplement under 5 CFR part 530, subpart C; or similar payment or supplement under other legal authority;
(3) The same type of appointment, work schedule, status, and tenure;
(4) The same employment benefits made available to the employee in his or her previous position (e.g., life insurance, health benefits, retirement coverage, and leave accrual);
(5) The same or equivalent opportunity for a within-grade increase, performance award, incentive award, or other similar discretionary and non-discretionary payments, consistent with applicable laws and regulations; however, the entitlement to be returned to an equivalent position does not extend to intangible or unmeasurable aspects of the job;
(6) The same or equivalent opportunity for premium pay consistent with applicable law and regulations under 5 CFR part 550, subpart A, or 5 CFR part 551, subpart E; and
(7) The same or equivalent opportunity for training or education benefits consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including any training that an employee may be required to complete to qualify for his or her previous position.
(c) As a result of taking leave under § 630.1203(a) of this part, an employee shall not suffer the loss of any employment benefit accrued prior to the date on which the leave commenced.
(d) Except as otherwise provided by or under law, a restored employee shall not be entitled to—
(1) The accrual of any employment benefits during any period of leave; or
(2) Any right, benefit, or position of employment other than any right, benefit, or position to which the employee would have been entitled had the employee not taken the leave.
(e) For the purpose of applying paragraph (d) of this section, the same entitlements and limitations in law and regulations that apply to the position, pay, benefits, status, and other terms and conditions of employment of an employee in a leave without pay status shall apply to any employee taking leave without pay under this part, except where different entitlements and limitations are specifically provided in this subpart.
(f) An employee is not entitled to be returned to the same or equivalent position under paragraph (a) of this section if the employee would not otherwise have been employed in that position at the time the employee returns from leave.
(g) An agency may not return an employee to an equivalent position where written notification has been provided that the equivalent position will be affected by a reduction in force if the employee's previous position is not affected by a reduction in force.
(h) As a condition to returning an employee who takes leave under § 630.1203(a)(4), an agency may establish a uniformly applied practice or policy that requires all similarly-situated employees (i.e., same occupation, same serious health condition) to obtain written medical certification from the health care provider of the employee that the employee is able to perform the essential functions of his or her position. An agency may delay the return of an employee until the medical certification is provided. The same conditions for verifying the adequacy of a medical certification in § 630.1208(c) apply to the medical certification to return to work. No second or third opinion on the medical certification to return to work may be required. An agency may not require a medical certification to return to work during the period the employee takes leave intermittently or under a reduced leave schedule under § 630.1205.
(i) If an agency requires an employee to obtain written medical certification under paragraph (h) of this section before he or she returns to work, the agency shall notify the employee of this requirement before leave commences, or to the extent practicable in emergency medical situations, and pay the expenses for obtaining the written medical certification. An employee's refusal or failure to provide written medical certification under paragraph (h) of this section may be grounds for appropriate disciplinary or adverse action, as provided in part 752 of this chapter.
(j) An agency may require an employee to report periodically to the agency on his or her status and intention to return to work. An agency's policy requiring such reports must take into account all of the relevant facts and circumstances of the employee's situation.
(k) An employee's decision to invoke FMLA leave under § 630.1203(a) does not prohibit an agency from proceeding with appropriate actions under part 432 or part 752 of this chapter.
(l) An employee who does not comply with the notification requirements in § 630.1207 and does not provide medical certification signed by the health care provider that includes all of the information required in § 630.1208(b) is not entitled to family and medical leave.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, as amended at 61 FR 3544, Feb. 1, 1996; 61 FR 64453, Dec. 5, 1996; 65 FR 26487, May 8, 2000; 70 FR 31314, May 31, 2005. Redesignated at 76 FR 60704, Sept. 30, 2011 and further redesignated and amended at 76 FR 60705, 60706, Sept. 30, 2011]
An employee enrolled in a health benefits plan under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (established under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code) who is placed in a leave without pay status as a result of entitlement to leave under § 630.1203(a) of this part may continue his or her health benefits enrollment while in the leave without pay status and arrange to pay the appropriate employee contributions into the Employees Health Benefits Fund (established under section 8909 of title 5, United States Code). The employee shall make such contributions consistent with 5 CFR 890.502.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993. Redesignated at 76 FR 60704, Sept. 30, 2011, and further redesignated at 76 FR 60705, Sept. 30, 2011]
(a) An agency shall comply with any collective bargaining agreement or any agency employment benefit program or plan that provides greater family or medical leave entitlements to employees than those provided under this subpart. Nothing in this subpart prevents an agency from amending such policies, provided the policies comply with the requirements of this subpart.
(b) The entitlements established for employees under this subpart may not be diminished by any collective bargaining agreement or any employment benefit program or plan.
(c) An agency may adopt leave policies more generous than those provided in this subpart, except that such policies may not provide entitlement to paid time off in an amount greater than that otherwise authorized by law or provide sick leaved in any situation in which sick leave would not normally be allowed by law or regulation.
(d) The entitlements under sections 6381 through 6387 of title 5, United States Code, and this subpart do not modify or affect any Federal law prohibiting discrimination. If the entitlements under sections 6381 through 6387 of title 5, United States Code, and this subpart conflict with any Federal law prohibiting discrimination, an agency must comply with whichever statute provides greater entitlements to employees.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 64454, Dec. 5, 1996. Redesignated at 76 FR 60704, Sept. 30, 2011, and further redesignated at 76 FR 60705, Sept. 30, 2011]
(a) So that OPM can evaluate the use of family and medical leave by Federal employees and provide the Congress and others with information about the use of this entitlement, each agency shall maintain records on employees who take leave under this subpart and submit to OPM such records and reports as OPM may require.
(b) At a minimum, each agency shall maintain the following information concerning each employee who takes leave under this subpart:
(1) The employee's rate of basic pay, as defined in 5 CFR 550.103;
(2) The occupational series for the employee's position;
(3) The number of hours or days of leave taken under this subpart, including any paid leave substituted for leave without pay under § 630.1206; and
(4) Whether leave was taken—
(i) Under § 630.1203(a) (1), (2) or (3) of this part; or
(ii) Under § 630.1203(a)(4) of this part.
(c) When an employee transfers to a different agency, the losing agency shall provide the gaining agency with information on leave taken under § 630.1203(a) of this part by the employee during the 12 months prior to the date of transfer. The losing agency shall provide the following information:
(1) The beginning and ending dates of the employee's 12-month period, as determined under § 630.1203(c) of this part; and
(2) The number of hours of leave taken under § 630.1203(a) of the part during the employee's 12-month period, as determined under § 630.1203(c) of this part.
[58 FR 39602, July 23, 1993, as amended at 60 FR 67288, Dec. 29, 1995; 61 FR 64454, Dec. 5, 1996. Redesignated at 76 FR 60704, Sept. 30, 2011, and further redesignated and amended at 76 FR 60705, 60706, Sept. 30, 2011; 85 FR 48092, Aug. 10, 2020]
81 FR 51779, Aug. 5, 2016, unless otherwise noted.
This subpart implements 5 U.S.C. 6329, which establishes a leave category, to be known as “disabled veteran leave,” for an eligible employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more. Such an employee is entitled to this leave for purposes of undergoing medical treatment for such disability. Disabled veteran leave must be used during the 12-month period beginning on the first day of employment. OPM's authority to regulate section 6329 is found in section 2(d) of Public Law 114-75.
This subpart applies to an employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more, subject to the conditions specified in this subpart. This subpart does not apply to employees of the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission who are subject to regulations issued by the Postmaster General under section 2(d)(2) of Public Law 114-75. This subpart applies only to an employee who is hired on or after November 5, 2016.
In this subpart:
12-month eligibility period means the continuous 12-month period that begins on the first day of employment. For an employee who was eligible (or later determined to have been eligible) for disabled veteran leave as an employee of the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission and who subsequently commences employment covered by this subpart, the 12-month eligibility period is the period that began on the first day of employment with the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission (as determined under regulations issued by the Postmaster General to implement 5 U.S.C. 6329).
Agency means an agency of the Federal Government. In the case of an agency in the Executive branch, it means an Executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105. When the term “agency” is used in the context of an agency making determinations or taking actions, it means management officials of the agency who are authorized by the agency head to make the given determination or take the given action.
Employee has the meaning given that term in 5 U.S.C. 2105.
Employment means service as an employee during which the employee is covered by a leave system under which leave is charged for periods of absence. This excludes service in a position in which the employee is not covered by 5 U.S.C. 6329 due to application of another statutory authority.
First day of employment means the first day of service that qualifies as employment that occurs on the later of—
(1) The earliest date an employee is hired after the effective date of the employee's qualifying service-connected disability, as determined by the Veterans Benefits Administration; or
(2) The effective date of the employee's qualifying service-connected disability, as determined by the Veterans Benefits Administration.
Health care provider has the meaning given that term in § 630.1202.
Hired means the action of—
(1) Receiving an initial appointment to a civilian position in the Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment under this subpart;
(2) Receiving a qualifying reappointment to a civilian position in the Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment under this subpart; or
(3) Returning to duty status in a civilian position in the Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment under this subpart, when such return immediately followed a break in civilian duty (with the employee in continuous civilian leave status) to perform military service.
Medical certificate means a written statement signed by a health care provider certifying to the treatment of a veteran's qualifying service-connected disability.
Medical treatment means any activity carried out or prescribed by a health care provider to treat a veteran's qualifying service-connected disability.
Military service means “active military, naval, or air service” as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(24).
Qualifying reappointment means an appointment of a former employee of the Federal Government following a break in employment of at least 90 calendar days.
Qualifying service-connected disability means a veteran's service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more by the Veteran Benefits Administration, including a combined degree of disability of 30 percent or more that reflects the combined effect of multiple individual disabilities, which resulted in the award of disability compensation under title 38, United States Code. A temporary disability rating under 38 U.S.C. 1156 is considered a valid rating in applying this definition for as long as it is in effect.
Service-connected has the meaning given such term in 38 U.S.C. 101(16).
Veteran has the meaning given such term in 38 U.S.C. 101(2).
Veterans Benefits Administration means the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(a) An employee who is a veteran with a qualifying service-connected disability is entitled to disabled veteran leave under this subpart, which will be available for use during the 12-month eligibility period beginning on the first day of employment. For each employee, there is a single first day of employment.
(b) In order to be eligible for disabled veteran leave, an employee must provide to the agency documentation from the Veterans Benefits Administration certifying that the employee has a qualifying service-connected disability. The documentation should be provided to the agency—
(1) Upon the first day of employment, if the employee has already received such certifying documentation; or
(2) For an employee who has not yet received such certifying documentation from the Veterans Benefit Administration, as soon as practicable after the employee receives the certifying documentation.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section, an employee may submit certifying documentation at a later time, including after a period of absence for medical treatment, as described in § 630.1306(c). The 12-month eligibility period is fixed based on the first day of employment and is not affected by the timing of when certifying documentation is provided.
(d) If an employee's service-connected disability rating is decreased or discontinued during the 12-month eligibility period such that the employee no longer has a qualifying service-connected disability—
(1) The employee must notify the agency of the effective date of the change in the disability rating; and
(2) The employee is no longer eligible for disabled veteran leave as of the effective date of the rating change.
(a) Upon receipt of the certifying documentation under § 630.1304, an agency must credit 104 hours of disabled veteran leave to a full-time, nonseasonal employee or a proportionally equivalent amount for employees with part-time, seasonal, or uncommon tours of duty, except as otherwise provided in this section.
(b) The proportional equivalent of 104 hours for a full-time employee is determined for employees with other schedules as follows:
(1) For an employee with a part-time work schedule, the 104 hours is prorated based on the number of hours in the part-time schedule (as established for leave charging purposes) relative to a full-time schedule (e.g., 52 hours for a half-time schedule);
(2) For an employee with a seasonal work schedule, the 104 hours is prorated based on the total projected hours to be worked in an annual period of 52 weeks (based on the seasonal employee's seasonal work periods and full-time or part-time schedule during those periods) relative to a full-time work year of 2,080 hours (e.g., 52 hours for a seasonal employee who works full-time for half a year); and
(3) For an employee with an uncommon tour of duty (as defined in § 630.201 and described in § 630.210), 104 hours is proportionally increased based on the number of hours in the uncommon tour relative to the hours in a regular full-time tour (e.g., 187 hours for an employee with a 72-hour weekly uncommon tour of duty.)
(c) When an employee is converted to a different tour of duty for leave purposes, the employee's balance of unused disabled veteran leave must be converted to the proper number of hours based on the proportion of hours in the new tour of duty compared to the former tour of duty. For seasonal employees, hours must be annualized in determining the proportion.
(d) The amount of disabled veteran leave initially credited to an employee under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section must be offset by the number of hours of sick leave an employee has credited to his or her account as of the first day of employment. For example, if an employee is being reappointed and having sick leave recredited upon such reappointment, the amount of disabled veteran leave must be reduced by the amount of such recredited sick leave. Similarly, if an employee is returning to civilian duty status after a period of leave for military service, that employee may have a balance of sick leave, which must be used to offset the disabled veteran leave.
(e)
(1) An employee who was previously employed by an agency whose employees were not subject to 5 U.S.C. 6329 must certify, at the time the employee is hired in a position subject to 5 U.S.C. 6329, whether or not that former agency provided entitlement to an equivalent disabled veteran leave benefit to be used in connection with the medical treatment of a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more. The employee must certify the date he or she commenced the period of eligibility to use disabled veteran leave in the former agency.
(2) If 12 months have elapsed since the commencing date referenced in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the employee will be considered to have received the full amount of an equivalent benefit and no benefit may be provided under this subpart.
(3) If the employee is still within the 12-month period that began on the commencing date referenced in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the employee must certify the number of hours of disabled veteran leave used at the former agency. The gaining agency must offset the number of hours of disabled veteran leave to be credited to the employee by the number of such hours used by the employee at such agency, while making no offset under paragraph (d) of this section. If the employee had a different type of work schedule at the former agency, the hours used at the former agency must be converted before applying the offset, consistent with § 630.1305(c).
(a) An employee may use disabled veteran leave only for the medical treatment of a qualifying service-connected disability. The medical treatment may include a period of rest, but only if such period of rest is specifically ordered by the health care provider as part of a prescribed course of treatment for the qualifying service-connected disability.
(b)
(1) An employee must file an application—written, oral, or electronic, as required by the agency—to use disabled veteran leave. The application must include a personal self-certification by the employee that the requested leave will be (or was) used for purposes of being furnished medical treatment for a qualifying service-connected disability. The application must also include the specific days and hours of absence required for the treatment. The application must be submitted within such time limits as the agency may require.
(2) An employee must request approval to use disabled veteran leave in advance unless the need for leave is critical and not foreseeable—e.g., due to a medical emergency or the unexpected availability of an appointment for surgery or other critical treatment. The employee must provide notice within a reasonable period of time appropriate to the circumstances involved. If the agency determines that the need for leave is critical and not foreseeable and that the employee is unable to provide advance notice of his or her need for leave, the leave may not be delayed or denied.
(c)
(1) When an employee did not provide the agency with certification of a qualifying service-connected disability before having a period of absence for treatment of such disability, the employee is entitled to substitute approved disabled veteran leave retroactively for such period of absence (excluding periods of suspension or absence without leave (AWOL), but including leave without pay, sick leave, annual leave, compensatory time off, or other paid time off) in the 12-month eligibility period. Such retroactive substitution cancels the use of the original leave or paid time off and requires appropriate adjustments. In the case of retroactive substitution for a period when an employee used advanced annual leave or advanced sick leave, the adjustment is a liquidation of the leave indebtedness covered by the substitution.
(2) An agency may require an employee to submit the medical certification described in § 630.1307(a) before approving such retroactive substitution.
(a) In addition to the employee's self-certification required under § 630.1306(b)(1), an agency may additionally require that the use of disabled veteran leave be supported by a signed written medical certification issued by a health care provider.
(b) When an agency requires a signed written medical certification by a health care provider, the agency may specify that the certification include—
(1) A statement by the health care provider that the medical treatment is for one or more service-connected disabilities of the employee that resulted in 30 percent or more disability rating;
(2) The date or dates of treatment or, if the treatment extends over several days, the beginning and ending dates of the treatment;
(3) If the leave was not requested in advance, a statement that the treatment required was of an urgent nature or there were other circumstances that made advanced scheduling not possible; and
(4) Any additional information that is essential to verify the employee's eligibility.
(c)
(1) An employee must provide any required written medical certification no later than 15 calendar days after the date the agency requests such medical certification, except as otherwise allowed under paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(2) If the agency determines it is not practicable under the particular circumstances for the employee to provide the requested medical certification within 15 calendar days after the date requested by the agency despite the employee's diligent, good faith efforts, the employee must provide the medical certification within a reasonable period of time under the circumstances involved, but no later than 30 calendar days after the date the agency requests such documentation.
(3) An employee who does not provide the required evidence or medical certification within the specified time period is not entitled to use disabled veteran leave, and the agency may, as appropriate and consistent with applicable laws and regulations—
(i) Charge the employee as absent without leave (AWOL); or
(ii) Allow the employee to request that the absence be charged to leave without pay, sick leave, annual leave, or other forms of paid time off.
(a) Disabled veteran leave not used during the 12-month eligibility period may not be carried over to subsequent years and must be forfeited.
(b) If a change in the employee's disability rating during the 12-month eligibility period causes the employee to no longer have a qualifying service-connected disability (as described in § 630.1304(d)), any unused disabled veteran leave to the employee's credit as of the effective date of the rating change must be forfeited.
(c) When an employee with a positive disabled veteran leave balance transfers between positions in different agencies, or transfers from the United States Postal Service or Postal Regulatory Commission to a position in another agency, during the 12-month eligibility period, the agency from which the employee transfers must certify the number of unused disabled veteran leave hours available for credit by the gaining agency. The losing agency must also certify the expiration date of the employee's 12-month eligibility period to the gaining agency. Any unused disabled veteran leave will be forfeited at the end of that eligibility period. For the purpose of this paragraph, the term “transfers” means movement from a position in one agency (or the United States Postal Service or Postal Regulatory Commission) to a position in another agency without a break in employment of 1 workday or more in circumstances where service in both positions qualifies as employment under this subpart.
(d)
(1) An employee covered by this subpart, or an employee of the United States Postal Service or Postal Regulatory Commission, with a balance of unused disabled veteran leave who has a break in employment of at least 1 workday during the employee's 12-month eligibility period, and later recommences employment covered by 5 U.S.C. 6329 within that same eligibility period, is entitled to a recredit of the unused balance.
(2) When an employee has a break in employment as described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the losing agency must certify the number of unused disabled veteran leave hours available for recredit by the gaining agency. The losing agency must also certify the expiration date of the employee's 12-month eligibility period. Any unused disabled veteran leave must be forfeited at the end of that eligibility period.
(3) In the absence of the certification described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the recredit of disabled veteran leave may also be supported by written documentation available to the employing agency in its official personnel records concerning the employee, the official records of the employee's former employing agency, copies of contemporaneous earnings and leave statement(s) provided by the employee, or copies of other contemporaneous written documentation acceptable to the agency.
(e) An employee may not receive a lump-sum payment for any unused disabled veteran leave under any circumstance.
83 FR 15297, Apr. 10, 2018, unless otherwise noted.
(a) This subpart implements 5 U.S.C. 6329c, which allows an agency to provide a separate type of paid leave when weather or other safety-related conditions prevent employees from safely traveling to or safely performing work at an approved location due to an act of God, terrorist attack, or other applicable condition. Section 6329c(d) directs OPM to prescribe regulations to carry out the statutory provisions on weather and safety leave, including regulations on the appropriate uses and the proper recording of this leave.
(b) This subpart applies to an employee as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2105 who is employed in an agency, but does not apply to an intermittent employee who, by definition, does not have an established regular tour of duty during the administrative workweek.
(c) As provided in 5 U.S.C. 6329c(e), this subpart applies to employees described in subsection (b) of 38 U.S.C. 7421, notwithstanding subsection (a) of that section.
In this subpart:
Act of God means an act of nature, including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, landslides, snowstorms, and avalanches.
Agency means an Executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105, excluding the Government Accountability Office. When the term “agency” is used in the context of an agency making determinations or taking actions, it means the agency heads or management officials who are authorized (including by delegation) to make the given determination or take the given action.
Employee means an individual who is covered by this subpart, as described in § 630.1601(b) and (c).
OPM means the Office of Personnel Management.
Participating in a telework program means an employee is eligible to telework and has an established arrangement with his or her agency under which the employee is approved to participate in the agency telework program, including on a routine or situational basis. Such an employee who teleworks on a situational basis is considered to be continuously participating in a telework program even if there are extended periods during which the employee does not perform telework.
Telework site means a location where an employee is authorized to perform telework, as described in 5 U.S.C. chapter 65, such as an employee's home.
Weather and safety leave means paid leave provided under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 6329c.
Subject to other provisions of this subpart, an agency may grant weather and safety leave to employees only if they are prevented from safely traveling to or safely performing work at a location approved by the agency due to—
(a) An act of God;
(b) A terrorist attack; or
(c) Another condition that prevents an employee or group of employees from safely traveling to or safely performing work at an approved location.
(a) OPM is responsible for prescribing regulations and guidance related to the appropriate use of leave under this subpart and the proper recording of such leave, including OPM guidance on Governmentwide dismissal and closure policies and procedures that provides for use of consistent terminology in describing various operating status scenarios. In issuing any operating status announcements for the Washington, DC, area, OPM must make the specific policies and procedures related to those announcements consistent with the regulations in this subpart and with OPM's Governmentwide guidance.
(b) Employing agencies are responsible for—
(1) Establishing and applying policies and procedures related to use of leave under this subpart that are consistent with OPM regulations and guidance described in paragraph (a) of this section; and
(2) Using terminology required by OPM-issued Governmentwide guidance in any agency-specific operating status announcements they issue (for a specific geographic location or area).
(a) Telework employees.
(1) Except as provided under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, employees who are participating in a telework program and are able to safely travel to and work at an approved telework site may not be granted leave under § 630.1603. Employees who are eligible to telework and participating in a telework program under applicable agency policies are typically able to safely perform work at their approved telework site (e.g., home), since they are not required to work at their regular worksite.
(2)
(i) If, in the agency's judgment, the conditions in § 630.1603 could not reasonably be anticipated, an agency may provide leave under this subpart to the extent an employee was not able to prepare for telework as described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section and is otherwise unable to perform productive work at the telework site.
(ii) If an employee is prevented from safely working at the approved telework site due to circumstances, arising from one or more of the conditions in § 630.1603, applicable to the telework site, an agency may, at its discretion, provide leave under this subpart to the employee.
(iii) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section, an agency may decide not to provide leave under this subpart when the conditions in § 630.1603 do not prevent the employee from safely traveling to or safely performing work at a regular worksite, even if the affected day is a scheduled telework day.
(3) In making a determination under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, an agency must evaluate whether any of the conditions in § 630.1603 could be reasonably anticipated and whether the employee took reasonable steps (within the employee's control) to prepare to perform telework at the approved telework site. For example, if a significant snowstorm is predicted, the employee may need to prepare by taking home any equipment (e.g., laptop computer) and work needed for teleworking. To the extent that an employee is unable to perform work at a telework site because of failure to make necessary preparations for reasonably anticipated conditions, an agency may not provide weather and safety leave, and the employee would need to use other appropriate paid leave, paid time off, or leave without pay.
(b) Emergency employees. An agency may designate emergency employees who are critical to agency operations and for whom weather and safety leave may not be applicable. To the extent practicable, an agency should inform employees of their designation as emergency employees well in advance in anticipation of the possible occurrence of the conditions set forth in § 630.1603. If the agency wishes to provide for the possibility that an emergency employee could work from an approved telework site in lieu of traveling to the regular worksite in appropriate circumstances, an agency should encourage the employee to enter into a telework agreement providing for that contingency. An agency may designate different emergency employees for the different circumstances expected to arise from these conditions. Emergency employees must report to work at their regular worksite or another approved location as directed by the agency, unless—
(1) The agency determines that travel to or performing work at the worksite is unsafe for emergency employees, in which case the agency may require the employees to work at another location, including a telework site as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, as appropriate; or
(2) The agency determines that circumstances justify granting leave under this subpart to emergency employees.
(a) An agency must use the same minimum charge increments for weather and safety leave as it does for annual and sick leave under § 630.206.
(b) Employees may be granted weather and safety leave only for hours within the tour of duty established for purposes of charging annual and sick leave when absent. For full-time employees, that tour is the 40-hour basic workweek as defined in 5 CFR 610.102, the basic work requirement established for employees on a flexible or compressed work schedule as defined in 5 U.S.C. 6121(3), or an uncommon tour of duty under § 630.210.
(c) Employees may not receive weather and safety leave for hours during which they are on other preapproved leave (paid or unpaid) or paid time off. Agencies should not provide weather and safety leave to an employee who, in the agency's judgment, is cancelling preapproved leave or paid time off, or changing a regular day off in a flexible or compressed work schedule, for the primary purpose of obtaining weather and safety leave.
(a) Record of placement on leave. An agency must maintain an accurate record of the placement of an employee on weather and safety leave.
(b) Reporting. In agency data systems (including timekeeping systems) and in data reports submitted to OPM, an agency must record weather and safety leave under section 6329c and this subpart as a category of leave separate from other types of leave.
(a) Purpose. This subpart provides regulations to govern the granting of paid parental leave to covered employees. Since paid parental leave may only be substituted for unpaid leave granted following a birth or placement under specific provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act in title 5, United States Code—specifically, section 6382(a)(1)(A) and (B) in 5 U.S.C. chapter 63, subchapter V—this subpart links to subpart L (Family and Medical Leave) of this part.
(b) Applicability.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (b), this subpart applies to employees to whom subpart L of this part applies, as provided in § 630.1201(b).
(2) An agency head authorized to issue regulations on family and medical leave under 5 U.S.C. chapter 63, subchapter V, as provided in § 630.1201(b)(3), is authorized to issue any necessary supplemental regulations on paid parental leave, providing those supplemental regulations are consistent with the regulations in this subpart.
(3) This subpart applies to a birth or placement occurring on or after October 1, 2020. Paid parental leave may not be provided under this subpart for any period of time before October 1, 2020.
(c) Agency responsibilities. The head of an agency having employees covered by this subpart is responsible for the proper administration of this subpart, including the responsibility of informing employees of their entitlements and obligations.
(a) Applicability of subpart L definitions. The definitions of terms in § 630.1202 are applicable in this subpart to the extent the terms are used, except that, to the extent any definitions of terms have been further revised in § 630.1702(b), the provisions of that section shall apply for purposes of this subpart.
(b) Other definitions. In this subpart—
Agency means an Executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105, excluding the Government Accountability Office. When the term “agency” is used in the context of an agency making determinations or taking actions, it means the agency head or management officials who are authorized (including by delegation) to make the given determination or take the given action.
Birth or placement means the birth of a son or daughter of a covered employee, or a new placement of a son or daughter with a covered employee for adoption or foster care, that is the basis for unpaid leave granted under § 630.1203(a)(1) or (2) (which correspond to 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(1)(A) or (B), respectively). For the purpose of interpreting this definition, the terms birth and placement have the meanings given those terms in § 630.1202, except that paid parental leave may not be granted based on an anticipated birth or placement.
Child means a son or daughter as defined in § 630.1202 whose birth or placement is the basis for entitlement to paid parental leave.
FMLA unpaid leave means leave without pay granted under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations in subpart L of this part.
Paid parental leave means paid time off from an employee's scheduled tour of duty that is authorized under 5 U.S.C. 6382(d)(2)(B)(i) and this subpart and that is granted to cover periods of time within the 12-month period commencing on the date of birth or placement to an employee who has a current parental role in connection with the child whose birth or placement was the basis for granting FMLA unpaid leave under § 630.1203(a)(1) or (2). This leave is not available to an employee who does not have a current parental role.
(a) Election. An employee may elect to substitute available paid parental leave for any FMLA unpaid leave granted under § 630.1203(a)(1) or (2) (which correspond to 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(1)(A) or (B), respectively) in connection with the occurrence of a birth or placement. (See § 630.1206(b).)
(b) Available paid parental leave.
(1) The paid parental leave that is available for purposes of paragraph (a) of this section is 12 administrative workweeks in connection with the birth or placement involved. The entitlement to paid parental leave is triggered by the occurrence of a birth or placement. The paid parental leave is considered to be available only if the employee has a continuing parental role with respect to the child whose birth or placement triggered the leave entitlement. The 12 administrative workweeks of paid parental leave may be used only during the 12-month period beginning on the date of the birth or placement involved.
(2) Since an employee may use only 12 weeks of FMLA unpaid leave in any 12-month period under § 630.1203(a), use of FMLA unpaid leave not associated with paid parental leave may affect an employee's ability to use the full 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1) of this section, an employee will be able to use the full amount of paid parental leave only to the extent that there are 12 weeks of available FMLA unpaid leave granted under the birth or placement provisions in § 630.1203(a)(1) or (2) during the 12-month period commencing on the date of birth or placement. The availability of paid parental leave will depend on when the employee uses various types of FMLA unpaid leave relative to any 12-month period established under § 630.1203(c).
(c) Conversion of weeks to hours. For employees who are charged leave on an hourly basis (including fractions of an hour), the 12 administrative workweeks referenced in paragraph (b) of this section must be converted to hours based on the number of hours in the employee's scheduled tour of duty (as in effect on the date the employee begins a period of using paid parental leave) as follows:
(1) For a regular full-time employee with 80 hours in the scheduled tour of duty over a biweekly pay period, the hours equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks is 480 hours.
(2) For a full-time employee with an uncommon tour of duty (as defined in § 630.201 and described in § 630.210), the hours equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks is derived by multiplying 6 times the number of hours in the employee's biweekly scheduled tour of duty (or 6 times the average hours if the biweekly tour hours vary over an established cycle). For example, if an employee has an uncommon tour consisting of six 24-hours shifts (144 hours) per biweekly pay period, the amount would be 864 hours.
(3) For a part-time employee, the hours equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks is derived by multiplying 6 times the number of hours in the employee's scheduled tour of duty over a biweekly pay period. For example, if an employee has a part-time scheduled tour of duty that consists of 40 hours in a biweekly pay period, the amount would be 240 hours.
(d) Conversion of weeks to days. For employees who are charged leave on a daily basis, the days equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks must be derived based on the average number of workdays in the employee's established tour of duty over a biweekly pay period. For example, if an employee had 8 workdays each biweekly pay period, the days equivalent of 12 administrative workweeks would be 48 days.
(e) Change in tour. If there is a change in an employee's scheduled tour of duty during the 12-month period commencing on the date of a given birth or placement, and the employee has not used the full allotment of paid parental leave during such 12-month period, the remaining balance of paid parental leave must be recalculated based on the change in the number of average hours in the employee's scheduled tour of duty. For example, if a regular full-time employee has a balance of 120 hours of unused paid parental leave for a 12-month period that is in progress and then converts to a part-time schedule of 20 hours per week, the balance would be recalculated to be 60 hours. (Since the old schedule was 80 hours biweekly or an average of 40 hours weekly, the new part-time tour is half of the former full-time tour. 40/80 times 120 equals 60.)
(f) Leave usage.
(1) An agency may not require an employee to use annual leave or sick leave to the employee's credit as a condition to be met before the employee uses paid parental leave. An employee may request to use annual leave or sick leave without invoking FMLA unpaid leave under subpart L of this part, and, in that case, the agency exercises its normal authority with respect to approving or disapproving the timing of when the leave may be used.
(2) Paid parental leave may be used in connection with the occurrence of a birth or placement only during the 12-month period following birth or placement. (See § 630.1703(b).) Paid parental leave may not be used prior to the birth or placement involved even if the employee was granted FMLA unpaid leave under § 630.1203(a)(1) or (2) for periods prior to the birth or placement event, as allowed under § 630.1203(d).
(3) An employee with a seasonal work schedule may not use paid parental leave during the off-season period designated by the agency—the period during which the employee is scheduled to be released from work and placed in nonpay status.
(g) Treatment of unused leave. If an employee has any unused balance of paid parental leave that remains at the end of the 12-month period following the birth or placement involved, the entitlement to the unused leave elapses at that time. No payment may be made for unused paid parental leave that has expired. Paid parental leave may not be considered annual leave for purposes of making a lump-sum payment for annual leave or for any other purpose.
(h) Documentation of entitlement and employee certification.
(1) At the request of the employee's agency, an employee must provide the agency with appropriate documentation that shows that the employee's use of paid parental leave is directly connected to a birth or placement that has occurred. Appropriate documentation may include, but is not limited to, a birth certificate or a document from an adoption or foster care agency regarding the placement. An agency is responsible for determining what documentation is sufficient proof of entitlement.
(2) An agency may require that an employee sign a certification attesting that the paid parental leave is being taken in connection with a birth or placement. This employee certification may contain a statement in which the employee acknowledges an understanding of the consequences of providing a false certification (e.g., the possibility that the employing agency could pursue appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including removal from Federal Service, or make a referral to a Federal entity that investigates whether conduct constitutes a criminal violation).
(3) An employee must provide any documentation or certification required by the agency no later than 15 calendar days after the date the agency requests such documentation or certification. If it is not practicable under the particular circumstances for an employee to respond within the 15-day time frame, despite the employee's diligent, good faith efforts, the employee must provide the documentation or certification within a reasonable period of time under the circumstances involved, but no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the agency's original request.
(4) An agency may grant paid parental leave prior to receiving any requested documentation or certification under this paragraph (h) based on an employee's communications with a supervisor or management. Under these circumstances, the granting of paid parental leave is considered to be provisional, pending receipt of the requested documentation or certification.
(5) If the employee fails to provide the agency with the required documentation or certification within the specified time period, the agency may determine that the employee is not entitled to paid parental leave and may—
(i) Allow the employee to request that the absence be charged to leave without pay, sick leave, annual leave, or other forms of paid time off, as appropriate; or
(ii) If the employee acted fraudulently, charge the employee as absent without leave (AWOL) and pursue any other appropriate action.
(a) The pay an employee receives when using paid parental leave shall be the same pay the employee would receive if the employee were using annual leave.
(b) Paid parental leave is a type of leave that is counted in applying the 8-hour rule in 5 CFR 550.122(b) that determines whether night pay is payable during periods of leave.
(c) The pay received during paid parental leave may not include Sunday premium pay. (See section 624 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 1999, Pub. L. 105-277, div. A, § 101(h), 112 Stat. 2681-518 (Oct. 21, 1998).)
(a) Advance agreement. An employee may not use paid parental leave in connection with a birth or placement unless the employee agrees (in writing), before the commencement of such leave, to work for the applicable employing agency for not less than 12 weeks beginning on the employee's first scheduled workday after such leave concludes. (See special rules governing cases of incapacitation in § 630.1706.)
(b) Interpretation. For the purpose of applying paragraph (a) of this section—
(1) The term “in writing” means an agreement with the employee's handwritten signature or an acceptable electronic signature, consistent with the requirements in 5 CFR 850.106, and also is deemed to include an agreement documented in an email or text message from the employee, as long as the employee, within 24 hours, supplies the required signature;
(2) The term “work” means a period during which the employee is in duty status, excluding any periods (paid or unpaid) of leave, time off (including holiday time off), or other nonduty status (including furlough or AWOL status). Such excluded periods will not count toward completion of the 12-week work obligation.
(3) The term “applicable employing agency” means the agency employing the employee at the time use of paid parental leave concludes; and
(4) The date paid parental leave concludes is—
(i) The workday on which an employee finishes using 12 administrative workweeks of paid parental leave during the 12-month period that began on the date of birth or placement; or
(ii) If the employee does not use 12 administrative workweeks of paid parental leave during the 12-month period that began on the date of birth or placement, the day that is the last workday on which an employee used paid parental leave.
(c) Conversion of weeks to hours. For employees who are charged leave on an hourly basis (including fractions of an hour), the 12-week work obligation must be converted to hours based on the number of hours in the employee's scheduled tour of duty, consistent with the rules in § 630.1703(c). If an employee's scheduled tour of duty changes before the employee completes the 12-week obligation, the agency must recalculate the balance of work hours owed, consistent with the rules in § 630.1703(e). An acceptable alternative approach is to express each period of work as a fraction or percentage of the average weekly scheduled tour of duty hours in the affected biweekly pay period and to sum those fractions or percentages until the 12-week obligation is completed.
(d) Conversion of weeks to days. For employees who are charged leave on a daily basis, the days equivalent of 12 weeks must be derived based on the average number of workdays in the employee's established tour of duty over a biweekly pay period, consistent with the rules in § 630.1703(d).
(e) Agreement to make reimbursement when applicable. In the written agreement described in paragraph (a) of this section, the employee must attest that, in the event the employee does not complete the 12-week work obligation, he or she agrees, pursuant to paragraph (f), to make reimbursement unless the affected employing agency (or agencies) determines (determine) that the reimbursement provision will not be applied.
(f) Application of reimbursement requirement.
(1) If an employee fails to return for the required 12 weeks of work with the applicable employing agency after paid parental leave concludes (as described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section), an agency may require that the employee make a reimbursement equal to the total amount of any Government contributions paid by the agency on behalf of the employee to maintain the employee's health insurance coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program established under 5 U.S.C. chapter 89 during the period(s) when paid parental leave was used. An employee who separates from the applicable employing agency before completing the required 12 weeks of work is considered to have failed to return to duty under this paragraph. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, an intra-agency reassignment without a break in service will not be considered a separation.
(2) The determination to impose the reimbursement requirement is at the agency's sole and exclusive discretion, except that an agency may not impose the requirement if, in the agency's judgment, the employee is unable to return to work for the required 12 weeks because of—
(i) The continuation, recurrence, or onset of a serious health condition (including mental health) of the employee or the child whose birth or placement was the basis for the paid parental leave, but, in the case of the employee's serious health condition, only if the condition is related to the applicable birth or placement; or
(ii) Any other circumstance beyond the employee's control, subject to paragraph (h) of this section.
(g) Medical certification. An agency's determination not to apply the reimbursement requirement may be conditioned upon the employee's supplying of a health care provider certification supporting the employee's claim that a serious health condition described in paragraph (f)(2)(i) is causing the employee to be unable return to work for the required 12 weeks. In cases where an agency's determination regarding whether to apply the reimbursement requirement relies on a health condition that is not related to the applicable birth or placement or that applies to a person not covered by paragraph (f)(2)(i) of this section, the agency may also require a medical certification. An agency may require additional examinations and certification from other health care providers if it deems it necessary, but any such additional examinations must be at the agency's expense.
(h) Circumstances beyond employee's control. The circumstances beyond the employee's control referenced in paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of this section must be ones that truly preclude an employee from returning to work with the employing agency. Examples of situations beyond the employee's control include such situations as where a parent chooses to stay home because a child has a serious health condition or an employee moves because the employee's spouse is unexpectedly transferred to a job location more than 75 miles from the employee's worksite. Matters of employee preference or convenience will not suffice. For example, a situation where an employee chooses not to return to work to stay home with a well, newborn child would not constitute a circumstance beyond the employee's control for purposes of this exception.
(i) Multiple agencies involved. If an employee does not complete the 12-week work obligation and if more than one agency provided Government contributions on behalf of an employee for that employee's health insurance coverage during a period of paid parental leave, each agency is responsible for making a determination regarding whether to apply the reimbursement requirement described in paragraph (f) of this section with respect to periods of paid parental leave during employment with the agency. The employing agency that employed the employee at the time use of paid parental leave concluded is responsible for informing any other affected agency of the employee's failure to complete the required 12 weeks of work and of its determination regarding application of the reimbursement requirement. Any other affected agency will make its own determination regarding application of the reimbursement requirement associated with agency employment.
(j) Agency policies on applying the reimbursement requirement. Each agency is responsible for adopting its own set of policies governing when it will or will not apply the reimbursement requirement described in paragraph (f) of this section. A single agency-wide set of policies should be in place so that employees within an agency are treated consistently.
(k) Collection of reimbursement. The reimbursement requirement described in paragraph (f) of this section, if imposed, is subject to collection as a debt owed to the affected agency. (See the Federal Claims Collection Standards in 31 CFR parts 900 through 904.)
(a) If an agency determines that an otherwise eligible employee who could have made an election during a past period to substitute paid parental leave (as provided in § 630.1703) and enter a work obligation agreement (as described in § 630.1705) was physically or mentally incapable of doing so during that past period, the employee may, within 5 workdays of the employee's return to duty status, make an election to substitute paid parental leave for applicable FMLA unpaid leave under § 630.1703(a) on a retroactive basis. Such a retroactive election shall be effective on the date that such an election would have been effective if the employee had not been incapacitated at the time. Consistent with § 630.1206(f)(4), this retroactive election must be made in conjunction with a retroactive election under § 630.1203(b), if the FMLA unpaid leave was not already approved. As part of such election, the employee must agree (in writing, as described in § 630.1705(b)(1)) to meet the work obligation or pay the required reimbursement (if applicable) unless—
(1) Applying the work obligation and the associated reimbursement requirement is barred under § 630.1705(f)(2); or
(2) The agency later concludes under its policies established under § 630.1705(f)(1) that the circumstances support a determination to not apply the reimbursement requirement.
(b)
(1) If an agency determines that an otherwise eligible employee is physically or mentally incapable of making an election to substitute paid parental leave (as provided in § 630.1703) and entering into a work obligation agreement (as described in § 630.1705), the agency must, upon the request of a personal representative of the employee whom the agency finds acceptable, provide conditional approval of substitution of paid parental leave for applicable FMLA unpaid leave under § 630.1703(a) on a prospective basis. The conditional approval is based on the presumption that the employee would have elected to substitute paid parental leave for the applicable FMLA unpaid leave and would have entered into the work obligation agreement if the employee had not been incapacitated. Within 5 workdays after returning to work, the employee must enter into a written agreement to meet the work obligation described in § 630.1705 or pay the required reimbursement (if applicable) unless—
(i) Applying the work obligation and the associated reimbursement requirement is barred under § 630.1705(f)(2); or
(ii) The agency later concludes under its policies established under § 630.1705(f)(1) that the circumstances support a determination to not apply the reimbursement requirement.
(2) If an employee covered by paragraph (b)(1) of this section declines to enter into the written agreement after being determined by the agency to no longer be incapacitated, the agency must cancel any portion of the 12 weeks of paid parental leave that has not been exhausted, and designate as invalid any paid parental leave that was used based on the conditional approval. The time covered by the invalidated paid parental leave must be converted to leave without pay unless the employee requests that other paid leave or paid time off to the employee's credit be applied (as appropriate) in place of the invalidated paid parental leave. To the extent the employee has invalidated paid parental leave hours not replaced by other paid leave or paid time off, pay received for those hours is a debt to the employing agency and is subject to collection under the Federal Claims Collection Standards in 31 CFR parts 900 through 904.
(a) If an employee has multiple children born or placed on the same day, the multiple-child birth/placement event is considered to be a single event that triggers a single entitlement of up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave under § 630.1703(b).
(b) If an employee has one or more children born or placed during the 12-month period following the date of an earlier birth or placement of a child of the employee, the provisions of this subpart shall be independently administered for each birth or placement event. Any paid parental leave substituted for FMLA unpaid leave during the 12-month period beginning on the date of a child's birth or placement shall count towards the 12-week limit on paid parental leave described in § 630.1703(b) applicable in connection with the birth or placement involved. The substitution of paid parental leave may count toward multiple 12-week limits to the extent that there are multiple ongoing 12-month periods beginning on the date of an applicable birth or placement, each of which encompasses the day on which the leave is used. Therefore, whenever paid parental leave is substituted during periods of time when separate 12-month periods (each beginning on a date of birth or placement) overlap, the paid parental leave will count toward each affected period's 12-week limit. For example, if an employee has a child born on June 1 and another child placed for adoption on October 1 of the same year, each event would generate entitlement to substitute up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave during the separate 12-month periods beginning on the date of the birth and on the date of the placement, respectively. Those two 12-month periods would be June 1-May 31 and October 1-September 30. The overlap period for these two 12-month periods would be October 1-May 31. If the employee substitutes paid parental leave during that overlap period, that amount of paid parental leave would count towards both the 12-week limit associated with the birth event and the 12-week limit associated with the placement event.
(a) Record of usage of paid parental leave. An agency must maintain an accurate record of an employee's usage of paid parental leave.
(b) Reporting. In agency data systems (including timekeeping systems) and in data reports submitted to OPM, an agency must record usage of paid parental leave in the manner prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management.