Q. I started at a federal agency in June 2010 as a GS-14. I bought back my military time (10 years). I was recalled to active duty in the Army in March 2011. I was on active duty, and in a leave-without-pay status, until March 2012. I returned to my agency after completing my service. I may take a GS-12 position closer to home. I’m close to retirement age. If I switch to GS-12 in July, would my high-3 be a mix of GS-14 and GS-12? If I switch to GS-12 in January 2015, would my high-3 be as a…
Browsing: Leave without pay
Q. In considering leave without pay unrelated to the Family and Medical Leave Act or military duty, is there a requirement that annual and sick leave must be exhausted before granting LWOP? The following from 5 CFR doesn’t completely address this: If an employee has exhausted his or her available annual or sick leave or other forms of paid time off, he or she may request leave without pay. LWOP is a temporary nonpay status and absence from duty that, in most cases, is granted at the employee’s request. A. Leave without pay is a temporary nonpay status and an…
Q. When doing an online search about leave without pay during the high-3 years for annuity calculation, I found the FedExperts response from Nov. 30, 2012. It stated that less than six months LWOP per calendar year does not count against time in service, nor does it reduce one’s salary calculation for the high-3 years. However, on my CSRS Personal Benefits Statements for 2011 and 2012, it appears that it does reduce the retirement annuity. In September/October 2011, I took 79 hours of LWOP. My Jan. 2, 2011, CSRS PBS shows a high-three of $110,657, and an annuity of $6,982…
Q. I ran out of sick leave after cancer treatment in 2008-09. I had two months leave without pay in 2008 and three months LWOP in 2009. Will this time be deducted from my total years of service when I retire this year? A. No, they won’t.
Q. Under the Family Medical Leave Act, an employee can be granted up to 12 weeks or 480 hours of leave without pay. I understand that LWOP of up to six months counts as creditable service for the service computation date. Anything over six months requires an adjustment. Is there a maximum number of hours that constitutes six months under the FMLA? If you take LWOP several days a pay period, and not consecutively, how do you determine the LWOP time? A. For the full story on LWOP and its affect on benefits, go to www.opm.gov/oca/leave/html/LWOP_eff.asp.
Q. I am a military spouse. My spouse received official orders for a permanent change of station outside our state. I submitted a request for leave without pay due to my spouse’s official orders. My organization at the time, the Defense Logistics Agency, did not grant me LWOP but instead submitted an SF-52 stating that the member “resigned no reason given.” I sent several messages to the local human resources office about the error. The response from the HR office was that LWOP would not be granted because the organization could not afford to have my old position vacant for…
Q. I am a Postal Service employee under CSRS. I am planning on taking the incentive and retiring Jan. 31, which will give a total of 34 years and nine months of service including sick leave. I have used approximately 3,700 hours of leave without pay over my entire career with the maximum used in one year being 408.46 hours and the minimum being zero. 1. It is my understanding that any LWOP used during that time, as long as it does not exceed six months in any year, will not affect my length of service used to determine my…
Q. I am a Postal Service employee under CSRS. I am planning on taking the incentive and retiring Jan. 31, which will give a total of 34 years and nine months of service including sick leave. I have used approximately 3,700 hours of leave without pay over my entire career with the maximum used in one year being 408.46 hours and the minimum being zero. 1. It is my understanding that any LWOP used during that time, as long as it does not exceed six months in any year, will not affect my length of service used to determine my…
Q. I am retiring Jan. 31. I am out on medical leave. Can I use leave without pay for two months so I won’t have to return to work prior to retiring? A. That’s entirely up to your agency. You’ll need to discuss the matter with your supervisor.
Q. I am a federal civilian worker with a recent injury outside of the workplace. I do not have sufficient sick leave to cover my upcoming surgery and convalescence. I have annual leave but would prefer not to completely deplete my leave . Am I required to use all of my leave, or can I take some leave without pay? If I do not have enough paid leave to cover the time, am I a risk for dismissal from my post? A. Discuss the matter with your supervisor and your personnel office. You may be eligible for advanced sick leave,…