graphic: OPM
In a Memorandum sent from Katherine Archuleta, Director, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to all Heads of Federal agencies, she explained the new “Modernizing Federal Leave Policies for Childbirth, Adoption and Foster Care to Recruit and Retain Talent and Improve Productivity” and announced the release of a new handbook.
The Memo in part:
As part of his effort to ensure that all employees have paid time off available for childbirth, adoption and foster care, the President has directed all Federal agencies, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that discretionary benefits are used to the maximum extent practicable, including advancement of sick or annual leave, donated annual leave under the voluntary leave transfer and leave bank programs, and leave without pay. Further, to the extent permitted by law, the President has directed all Federal agencies to (1) offer 240 hours of advanced sick leave, at the request of an employee and in appropriate circumstances, in connection with the birth or adoption of a child or for other sick leave eligible uses, and (2) offer the maximum amount of advanced annual leave, at the request of an employee, for foster care placement in their home or bonding with a healthy newborn or newly adopted child. Agencies have been directed to provide this advanced leave for purposes specified in law and regulation irrespective of existing leave balances. All Federal agencies must update their advanced sick and annual leave policies to be in compliance with the President’s memorandum by no later than Monday, June 15, 2015.
The President’s memorandum also requires that by April 15, 2015, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provide guidance to all Federal agencies to help them implement the revised advanced leave policies, including how to apply these policies to part-time employees.
As a result, OPM determined that a new Handbook focusing on leave and workplace flexibilities available to employees for childbirth, adoption, and foster care purposes would be the most appropriate guidance to provide to the agencies. OPM’s Handbook contains guidance to the agencies on advanced sick and annual leave policies as required by the President’s memorandum while emphasizing the various leave entitlements and flexibilities available to assist employees.
The Handbook is divided into three distinct sections to fully assist agencies depending on the specific circumstance of the employee. The sections are: (1) Pregnancy and Childbirth, (2) Adoption and Foster Care, and (3) Interaction of the Various Leave Programs and Workplace Flexibilities. OPM believes that this new Handbook will allow agencies to be in a better position to assist employees or their family members who are experiencing childbirth, adoption, and foster care. In doing so, the Federal Government will continue to support parents to ensure they can both contribute fully in the workplace and also meet the needs of their families.
The handbook shares explanations of all of these types of workplace flexibilities, and more. It has definitions and details about each type of leave, and it also has specific examples of how a Federal worker might combine different types of leave in a way that makes the most sense for his or her family. Our goal is to make our policies and regulations are as clear — and flexible — as possible for every employee and his or her supervisor. more
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Is the Postal Service going to find a way to be exempt from this? Can an employee request and receive up to 240 hours of advanced sick leave to care for a spouse who is recovering from an illness or surgery that’s not related to child birth, adoption or foster care? Right now the USPS only allows an employee to use up to 80 hours of their sick leave to care for a dependent. You can use any amount of annual leave or LWOP but only 80 hours of sick leave. Somehow they are going to weasel out of this.
Receiving advanced sick leave is like receiving a personal loan. Both will have to be paid back. Some poor souls do not understand why they are expected to pay back a loan, and think having to do so is extremely unfair. Some federal employees will take the advanced sick leave, use it up, and then resent being forced to pay it back. These are otherwise fine folks, but they just don’t have a healthy fear of incurring debt. I just hope those who accept advanced sick leave understand that the government will collect that debt when it come due, whether the indebted employee wants to pay it back or not.
Whatever. No one enforces the FMLA that is already in place. When you take time off for your mother who had a stroke, use your FMLA, and STILL get a letter from your boss threatening your job. Not one agency seams to care that the threat was even made in Writing dated and signed by management! I really thought that your job could not be threatened like this when you have an approved FMLA#. Silly me.
Find a lawyer and file in federal court. Ask for damages, to include mental stress. My wife has do so.