FFAS
HANDBOOK
Leave Administration
For FAS, FSA, and RMA Offices
SHORT REFERENCE
17-PM
(Revision 2)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Farm Service Agency
Washington, DC 20250
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Federal Leave Policies: Medical Emergencies and Family Medical Leave, Lecture notes of Business
The procedures for requesting restoration of forfeited annual leave hours, advanced sick leave for limited appointments, and family medical leave. It includes definitions of medical emergencies, recipient eligibility, responsibilities for leave recipients and timekeepers, and the process for transferring and approving leave. The document also covers substitutions for leave without pay (LWOP) and the responsibilities of employees and timekeepers regarding FMLA.
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FFAS
HANDBOOK
Leave Administration
For FAS, FSA, and RMA Offices
SHORT REFERENCE
17-PM
(Revision 2)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Washington, DC 20250
.
Table of Contents
Page No. 10-30 (Reserved) Part 2 (Reserved) 31-50 (Reserved)
- 1 Overview 1- Part 1 General Information
- 2 Responsibilities 1-
- 3 Official Work and Core Hours 1-
- 4 Holidays and Office Closures 1-
- 5 General Leave Information 1-
- 6 Work Schedule Logs and T&A’s 1-
- 7 Requesting and Notifying Supervisor of Leave 1-
- 8 Family Related Leave 1-
- 9 Involuntary Leave 1-
- 51 Full-Time Employees 3- Part 3 Annual Leave
- 52 90-Day Appointments 3-
- 53 Part-Time Employees 3-
- 54 Other Leave Categories 3-
- 55 Granting Earned Annual Leave 3-
- 56 Advanced Annual Leave 3-
- 57 Requesting and Reporting Annual Leave 3-
- 58 Lump-Sum Annual Leave 3-
- 59 Terminal Annual Leave 3-
- 60 Annual Leave Ceilings 3-
- 61 Overseas Ceilings 3-
- 62 SES and SFS Ceilings 3-
- 63 Restoring Forfeited Annual Leave 3-
- 64 Restoration Because of Administrative Error 3-
- 65 Restoration Because of Employee Illness 3-
- 66 Restoration Because of Exigency of Public Business 3-
- 12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 TC Page 67-80 (Reserved)
Table of Contents (Continued)
Page No. Part 4 Sick Leave
81 Full-Time Employees............................................... 4- 82 Part-Time Employees............................................... 4- 83 Earned Sick Leave................................................. 4- 84 Advanced Sick Leave............................................... 4- 85 Requesting and Reporting Sick Leave.................................. 4- 86-110 (Reserved)
Part 5 Nonpay Status Leave
111 Unpaid Leave..................................................... 5- 112 LWOP.......................................................... 5- 113 AWOL.......................................................... 5- 114 Military and Civilian Furlough........................................ 5- 115-135 (Reserved)
Part 6 Military Leave
136 Regular Military Leave.............................................. 6- 137 Requesting and Using Military Leave................................... 6- 138 Emergency Military Leave........................................... 6- 139-160 (Reserved)
Part 7 Excused Absence
161 Granting Excused Absences.......................................... 7- 162 Excused Absence for Official Time..................................... 7- 163 Excused Absence for Voting......................................... 7- 164 Excused Absence for Participation in Military Funerals...................... 7- 165 Discretionary Excused Absences...................................... 7- 166 Excused Absence for Court Leave..................................... 7- 167 Witness Service................................................... 7- 168 Court Fees or Payments............................................. 7- 169-190 (Reserved)
Part 8 (Reserved)
191-210 (Reserved)
10-5-01 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 3 TC Page 2
Table of Contents (Continued)
Page No. Part 10 Family Friendly Leave (Continued)
Section 4 Sick Leave for Adoption
311 Authority and Benefits.............................................. 10- 312 Requesting Use of Advanced Sick Leave................................ 10- 313-330 (Reserved)
Section 5 Excused Absence for Bone-Marrow or Organ Donation
331 Authority and Benefits.............................................. 10- 332 Responsibilities.................................................... 10- 333-355 (Reserved)
Part 11 Compensatory Leave and Credit Hours
356 Compensatory Leave............................................... 11- 357 Religious Compensatory Time........................................ 11- 358 Credit Hours..................................................... 11- 359-380 (Reserved)
Part 12 Home Leave and Rest and Recuperation (R&R)
381 Home Leave for Overseas Assignments................................. 12- 382 Computing Continuous Service Overseas................................ 12- 383 Granting Home Leave.............................................. 12- 384 Other Home Leave Issues............................................ 12- 385 R&R Travel...................................................... 12-
Exhibits
1 Reports, Forms, Abbreviations, and Redelegations of Authority 2 Definitions of Terms Used in This Handbook 3-5 (Reserved) 6 SF-71, Request for Leave or Approved Absence 7-10 (Reserved) 11 FAS LWOP Policy 12 (Reserved) 13 OPM Preventive Health Services and Screenings 14, 15 (Reserved) 16 Using AD-1046, Leave Transfer Program - Recipient Application 17 Using AD-1043, Leave Transfer Program - Donor Application
10-5-01 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 3 TC Page 4
Par. 1 Part 1 General Information
1 Overview
A Handbook Purpose
This handbook provides information about Federal regulations and includes generic policies on leave administration for all FFAS employees. The majority of the information in this handbook comes directly from Federal laws and regulations governing leave administration. For the areas where agencies are allowed discretionary authority, past practice and USDA supplements have been used.
g Bargaining unit employees shall refer to:
g their union contract for information on negotiated work schedules and leave guidance
g this handbook for laws, regulations, and policy not covered by their union contract.
g Nonbargaining unit employees shall refer to:
g this handbook for leave guidance g current work schedule options and policies.
Note: Labor-management obligations. Where exclusive representation exists, bargaining may be requested to the extent allowed by applicable statutes. Where contract language already addresses these policies and procedures for bargaining unit employees, contract language prevails.
Continued on the next page
12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 Page 1-
Par. 2 2 Responsibilities
A
Supervisory Responsibilities
All supervisory employees are responsible for knowing basic leave laws, regulations, applicable union contract language, and Agency policies and work schedules. Supervisors shall:
g ensure that a copy of the bargaining unit’s union contract and this handbook are maintained within each division, staff, and office
g ensure that each employee has an approved FSA-956 on file
g approve or disapprove all SF-71’s
g approve biweekly:
g Agency sign-in and sign-out logs or work schedule logs g T&A documents
g contact their servicing personnel office when there are leave or work schedule questions.
B
Employee Responsibilities
All employees shall abide by Federal laws and regulations. Bargaining unit employees shall abide by the language in their union contract.
Each employee shall:
g have general knowledge regarding leave and work schedule responsibilities
g have a documented and approved FSA-
g use the Agency’s sign-in and sign-out log or work schedule log, such as FSA-958, to record hours of work and leave on a daily basis
g complete SF-71 for all leave requests
g know their Agency’s official business and core workhours.
Continued on the next page
12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 Page 1-
Par. 2 2 Responsibilities (Continued)
C
Leave Administration Responsibilities
HRD and KCMO, PD are responsible for the information in this handbook and for:
g interpreting Federal laws and regulations
g establishing recommended leave policy where the law allows
g counseling managers and employees regarding leave benefits and responsibilities
g interpreting and advising employees on AWS options
g determining acceptability of medical documentation, when requested.
3 Official Work and Core Hours
A Official Workhours
The Agency Administrator shall do either of the following:
g determine an Agency’s official workhours g redelegate this responsibility to other agency officials.
Telephone coverage and Agency services must be available to employees and clients during official workhours.
B
Core Office Hours
Agency core hours are negotiated and agreed to by union and/or management officials. Refer to applicable union contract language, past practice, or published Agency policy.
12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 Page 1- (through 1-6)
Par. 4 4 Holidays and Office Closures (Continued)
B
In-Lieu-Of Holidays
When a holiday falls on a full-time employee’s scheduled nonworkday, the employee is entitled to a day off “in-lieu of holiday”. The “in-lieu-of holiday” shall be the employee’s previously scheduled workday before the holiday, usually Friday. If the holiday falls on the first Monday of the pay period, the previous Friday is the “in-lieu of holiday”, even when it falls in the previous pay period. Nonworkdays are always nonworkdays.
Exception: Occasionally, a holiday will fall on a Sunday and the holiday is observed on Monday, which will be the nonworkday. When this occurs, the “in-lieu-of holiday” falls forward to the employee’s next scheduled workday, usually Tuesday.
When a holiday falls on a part-time employee’s scheduled nonworkday, the employee is not entitled to a day off “in-lieu-of holiday”.
C
Local Holidays for Overseas Employees
Overseas posts will issue an administrative order excusing employees from duty on certain local national holidays. Foreign Service Nationals shall refer to 3 FAM 7440 for holiday regulations.
g Annual or sick leave approved and scheduled for use after the issuance of an order, which falls on a local holiday, will not be charged to the employee. However, an employee is not entitled to any local holidays after departure from post on home leave, transfer orders, or rest and recuperation travel.
g In certain circumstances, local celebration of holidays not included in the administrative order excusing employees from duty, will prevent some employees from reporting for duty. In these cases, other employees, whose regular duties, such as working with local ministries and agencies, cannot be performed because of the local holiday, but who are otherwise present and available for duty may be excused if not needed and will not be charged leave.
Continued on the next page
12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 Page 1-
Par. 4 4 Holidays and Office Closures (Continued)
D
State, Local, and Territorial Holidays
Inauguration Day, January 20, every 4 years:
C only applies to employees who work in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area
C does not apply to employees in travel status or performing official duties outside the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area on Inauguration Day.
When past practice, union contract, or an authorized U.S. Government official determines that a State, Local, or Territorial holiday prevents employees from working, employees may be excused without loss of pay or charge to leave.
Note: Excused absences shall not apply to experts and consultants compensated at per diem or per hour rates unless otherwise stated in their contract.
E
*--Authorized Excused Absence
Employees may be excused by Federal Statute, Executive Order, USDA Secretary, OPM directive, or Agency Administrator and shall not be charged leave on a workday declared a holiday or for work hours officially excused. --*
Excused absences shall not apply to experts and consultants compensated at per diem or per hour rates unless otherwise stated in their contract.
F
*Office Closures --and Early Dismissals
See Part 9 for details. --*
10-5-01 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 3 Page 1- (and 1-10)
Par. 5 5 General Leave Information
A Who Earns Leave
All permanent full-time and part-time employees earn annual and sick leave.
Temporary employees with an appointment of:
g 90 days or less earn sick leave only g more than 90 days earn annual and sick leave.
B
Who Does Not Earn Leave
Intermittent employees, who work on an as needed basis, are excluded by law from general leave-earning provisions.
C
How Often Leave Is Earned
Annual and sick leave are earned on a biweekly basis, which is termed a pay period. There are normally 26 biweekly pay periods in a leave year. See Parts 3 and 4 for further details on earning leave.
D
Definition of Leave Year
A leave year begins with the first day of Pay Period 1. Pay Period 1 normally begins within the first 10 days of the new calendar year. See FSA-367 for a pay period schedule for the current leave year.
12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 Page 1-
Par. 6 6 Work Schedule Logs and T&A’s
A
Recording Time Each employee shall record their arrival and departure times each workday along with any leave they have used on FSA-958 or other Agency approved work log. The employee and employee’s timekeeper shall ensure that absences are recorded on the work log.
B
Recording T&A’s
Timekeepers shall record information from the employee’s work log into an automated T&A system.
C
Maintaining T&A Records
T&A records are retained for 6 years.
g The most recent 3 years remain in the office where they were prepared. g The previous 3 years may be stored offsite by contacting MSD.
If an employee transfers to another Federal or CO position, do not transfer their T&A records. The original T&A records remain with the office where they were prepared.
12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 Page 1-
Par. 7 7 Requesting and Notifying Supervisor of Leave (Continued)
E Tardiness of Less Than 1 Hour
An occasional or unavoidable absence or tardiness of less than 1 hour may be excused by the employee’s immediate supervisor without charge to leave.
Employees who are habitually tardy may be:
C charged leave in 15-minute increments C asked to change their AWS to better suit their arrival times C charged AWOL.
Note: A supervisor, dealing with a habitually late employee, should seek advice from the employee relations staff in their servicing personnel office before charging AWOL.
F
Unexcused Absence From Work
An employee, who is absent from duty without notification or prior authorization, or provides insufficient reasons for being unable to notify the employee’s supervisor, may be charged AWOL. AWOL can lead to disciplinary action.
8 Family Related Leave
A
Family Friendly Leave
Family Friendly Leave (Part 10) includes laws and regulations for:
C -- voluntary LTP, Section 1 C FMLA, Section 2 C SLFC, Section 3 C sick leave for adoption, Section 4 C excused absence for bone-marrow or organ donation, Section 5 C LB, pending implementation. --
Continued on the next page
10-5-01 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 3 Page 1-
Par. 8 8 Family Related Leave (Continued)
B
Maternity Leave An employee may use sick leave for any period during pregnancy, delivery, recovery, and confinement, when medical documentation requires the employee’s absence from work. The employee may also request annual leave and LWOP. See Family Friendly Leave options in Part 10, Sections 1 through 3.
C
Paternity Leave An employee may request annual leave and LWOP for paternity leave. See Family Friendly Leave options in Part 10, Sections 2 through 4.
D
Leave for Adoption
An employee may request annual leave, sick leave, and LWOP for adoption purposes. See Family Friendly Leave options in Part 10, Sections 2 through 4.
9 Involuntary Leave
A Placing Employees on Involuntary Leave
Employees who are mentally or physically unable to work and who possess a safety threat to themselves or others in the workplace may be:
g detailed to other duties g asked to take annual or sick leave g placed on LWOP for a limited period of time g granted administrative leave.
Supervisors must clear all requests for involuntary leave through the employee relations staff of their servicing personnel office.
10-30 (Reserved)
Part 2 (Reserved)
31-50 (Reserved)
12-8-98 17-PM (Rev. 2) Amend. 1 Page 1-