[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 212 (Monday, November 3, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 59301-59304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28970]
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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 630
RIN: 3206-AI03
Emergency Leave Transfer Program
AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Proposed rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing proposed
regulations governing the establishment of an emergency leave transfer
program to permit the transfer of unused annual leave to Federal
employees adversely affected by a major disaster or emergency, as
declared by the President.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 2, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent or delivered to Donald J. Winstead,
Assistant Director for Compensation Administration, Office of Personnel
Management, Room 7H31, 1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415; FAX
(202) 606-0824; or email to payleave@opm.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jo Ann Perrini, (202) 606-2858, FAX
(202) 606-0824, or email to payleave@opm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9004 of Pub. L. 105-18, June 12,
1997, added section 6391 to title 5, United States Code, to provide
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 in any Executive agency may donate 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. The
Act also permits agency leave banks established under 5 U.S.C. 6362 to
donate leave under an emergency leave transfer program established by
OPM.
The Federal leave sharing program has proven to be an effective and
cost-efficient means of allowing Federal employees to help their fellow
workers in times of need. Under the current voluntary leave transfer
program established under 5 U.S.C. 6332, an employee may donate unused
annual leave for transfer to other Federal employees who have medical
emergencies and who have exhausted their own leave. The emergency leave
transfer program will be in addition to the voluntary leave transfer
and leave bank programs and will provide leave benefits specific to the
needs of employees affected by major disasters or emergencies. The
emergency leave transfer program will permit employees to donate annual
leave to employees who do not necessarily face a medical emergency but
who need to take leave because of other effects of disasters or
emergencies, such as a flood or an earthquake that has destroyed an
employee's property or an emergency situation such as that created by
the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. In addition, employees
approved as emergency leave recipients under the emergency leave
transfer program will be able to use donated leave without having to
exhaust their own accrued and accumulated annual and sick leave.
Establishment of Emergency Leave Bank
When directed by the President, OPM will establish an emergency
leave transfer program for a major disaster or emergency that is
declared by the President under which employees may transfer their
unused annual leave to employees in their own agencies or other
agencies who are adversely affected by the disaster or emergency. We
anticipate that the authority to establish an emergency leave transfer
program for an emergency or disaster declared by the President will be
exercised only after appropriate consultation with the agencies
affected by the emergency or disaster. OPM will establish and maintain
an emergency leave bank for each such disaster or emergency that will
contain the aggregate amount of annual leave donated by emergency leave
donors in the agencies for a specific disaster or emergency. OPM will
coordinate the transfer of donated annual leave from each agency to the
emergency leave bank. An emergency leave donor may not contribute
annual leave for transfer to a specific emergency leave recipient under
this program. However, an employee may continue to donate his or her
unused annual leave to a specific leave recipient under the separate
authority for voluntary leave transfer in
[[Page 59302]]
5 U.S.C. 6332 and must follow the rules governing that program.
Each agency will be responsible for approving an emergency leave
recipient and determining the amount of donated annual leave to be
transferred to each of its approved emergency leave recipients. The
agency must notify OPM of the aggregate amount of donated annual leave
needed for transfer from the emergency leave bank to its approved
emergency leave recipients. The minimum amount of annual leave an
emergency leave donor may contribute in a leave year is 1 hour, and the
maximum is 104 hours. In unusual situations, OPM may waive the
limitations on donating annual leave.
To ensure that a sufficient amount of donated annual leave is
available for all affected employees, emergency leave recipients may
receive a maximum of 240 hours of donated leave at any one time from
the emergency leave bank for each disaster or emergency. Emergency
leave recipients may substitute donated leave retroactively for any
period of leave without pay or advanced annual or sick leave used as
result of the disaster or emergency. In addition, while an emergency
leave recipient is in a shared leave status (i.e., using donated leave
to recover from the disaster or emergency), annual and sick leave will
continue to accrue to the credit of the employee without limitation.
Any accrued annual leave is subject to the maximum annual leave
ceilings established by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a), (b), (c), or (f).
Termination of Disaster or Emergency
Annual leave donated to an emergency leave bank for a specific
disaster or emergency cannot be transferred to another emergency leave
bank. When a disaster or emergency terminates, OPM will return to the
donating agencies any donated annual leave that was not used by the
emergency leave recipients. The amount of donated leave returned will
be proportional to the amount of annual leave donated by the agency to
the emergency leave bank for the disaster or emergency. Each agency
will be responsible for determining the amount of returned annual leave
to be restored to each of its emergency leave donors based on agency
records of the amount of annual leave donated by the leave donor.
Redesignating Subpart K--Reservist Leave Bank Program
Subpart K of 5 CFR part 630, Reservist Leave Bank Program, is
redesignated in its entirety as subpart M of 5 CFR part 630. The
proposed rules for the new Emergency Leave Transfer Program are added
as subpart K of 5 CFR part 630.
E.O. 12866, Regulatory Review
This rule has been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget
in accordance with E.O. 12866.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
I certify that these regulations will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because they
will affect only Federal employees and agencies.
List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 630
Government employees.
Office of Personnel Management.
Janice R. Lachance,
Acting Director.
Accordingly, OPM is amending part 630 of title 5 of the Code of
Federal Regulations as follows:
PART 630--ABSENCE AND LEAVE
1. The authority citation for part 630 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 6311; Sec. 630.301 also issued under Pub. L.
103-356, 108 Stat. 3410; Sec. 630.303 also issued under 5 U.S.C.
6133(a); Secs. 630.306 and 630.308 also issued under 5 U.S.C.
6304(d)(3), Pub. L. 102-484, 106 Stat. 2722, and Pub. L. 103-337,
108 Stat. 2663; subpart D also issued under Pub. L. 103-329, 108
Stat. 2423; Sec. 630.501 and subpart F also issued under E.O. 11228,
30 FR 7739, 3 CFR, 1974 Comp., p. 163; subpart G also issued under 5
U.S.C. 6305; subpart H also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6326; subpart I
also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6332, Pub. L. 100-566, 102 Stat. 2834,
and Pub. L. 103-103, 107 Stat. 1022; subpart J also issued under 5
U.S.C. 6362, Pub. L 100-566, and Pub. L. 103-103; subpart K also
issued under Pub. L. 102-25, 105 Stat. 92; subpart L also issued
under 5 U.S.C. 6387 and Pub. L. 103-3, 107 Stat. 23; and subpart M
also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6391 and Pub. L. 105-18, 111 Stat. 158.
2. In part 630, subpart K (consisting of Secs. 630.1101 through
630.1109) is redesignated as subpart M (consisting of Secs. 630.1301
through 630.1309); a new subpart K (consisting of Secs. 630.1101
through 630.1106) is added; and in the newly redesignated subpart M,
for each section indicated in the left column, the citations in the
middle column are removed wherever they appear in the section, and the
citations in the right column are added to read as follows:
Subpart K--Emergency Leave Transfer Program
Sec.
630.1101 Purpose, applicability, and administration.
630.1102 Definitions.
630.1103 Establishment of emergency leave transfer program.
630.1104 Transfer of annual leave.
630.1105 Limitations on donation and use of annual leave.
630.1106 Termination of disaster or emergency.
Subpart K--Emergency Leave Transfer Program
Sec. 630.1101 Purpose, applicability, and administration.
(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 Executive
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
an Executive agency.
(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 shall establish and administer
procedures to permit the voluntary transfer of annual leave consistent
with this subpart.
Sec. 630.1102 Definitions.
In this subpart--
Agency means an ``Executive agency,'' as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105.
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 direct threat to life
or health).
Emergency leave bank means a pooled fund of annual leave
established by OPM under Sec. 630.1103(b) for employees who are
adversely affected by a disaster or emergency.
Emergency leave donor means a current employee whose voluntary
written request for transfer of annual leave to an emergency leave bank
is approved by his or her employing agency.
Emergency leave recipient means a current employee for whom the
employing agency has approved an
[[Page 59303]]
application to receive annual leave from an emergency leave bank.
Emergency shared leave status means the administrative status of an
employee while the employee is using leave transferred from an
emergency leave bank.
Employee has the meaning given that term in 5 U.S.C. 6331(1).
Leave year has the meaning given that term in Sec. 630.201.
Paid leave status under subchapter I has the meaning given that
term in Sec. 630.902.
Sec. 630.1103 Establishment of emergency leave transfer program.
(a) When directed by the President, OPM will establish an emergency
leave transfer program for a major disaster or emergency that is
declared by the President. The emergency leave transfer program will
permit an employee to donate his or her accrued annual leave for
transfer to employees of the same or other Executive agencies who are
adversely affected by such disaster or emergency.
(b) OPM will establish an emergency leave bank for each disaster or
emergency for which the President directs OPM to establish an emergency
leave transfer program. Each emergency leave bank established under
this paragraph will contain the aggregate amount of annual leave
donated by emergency leave donors to employees affected by the disaster
or emergency for which the emergency leave bank was established. OPM
will determine the period of time for which donations of accrued annual
leave may be accepted for each emergency leave bank.
(c) Each Federal agency shall--
(1) Accept annual leave donated by emergency leave donors for each
declared disaster or emergency;
(2) Debit the amount of annual leave donated to an emergency leave
bank from each emergency leave donor's annual leave account;
(3) Maintain records on the amount of leave donated by each
emergency leave donor for a specific emergency leave bank (for the
purpose of restoring unused transferred annual leave under
Sec. 630.1105(i)); and
(4) Report the aggregate amount of annual leave donated to an
emergency leave bank to OPM.
(d) A leave bank established under subchapter IV of chapter 63 of
title 5, United States Code, and subpart J of this part 630 may, with
the concurrence of the leave bank board established under
Sec. 630.1003, donate annual leave to an emergency leave bank.
Sec. 630.1104 Transfer of annual leave.
(a) An employee may submit a voluntary written request to his or
her employing agency that a specified number of hours of his or her
accrued annual leave, consistent with the limitations in
Sec. 630.1105(a), be transferred from his or her annual leave account
to an emergency leave bank established under Sec. 630.1103(b). An
emergency leave donor may not donate annual leave for transfer to a
specific emergency leave recipient under this subpart.
(b) OPM will notify each affected agency of the aggregate amount of
donated annual leave that will be credited to the agency for transfer
by the agency to its approved emergency leave recipient(s).
(c) An employee who has been affected by a disaster or emergency
(or his or her personal representative) may make written application to
his or her employing agency to become an emergency leave recipient. The
employee's application shall include a statement describing his or her
need for leave from an emergency leave bank.
(d) Each affected agency shall--
(1) Take action to approve or disapprove a request to become an
emergency leave recipient based on evidence administratively acceptable
to the agency;
(2) Determine the amount of donated annual leave to be transferred
to each emergency leave recipient (an amount that may vary according to
individual needs);
(3) Notify OPM of the total number of approved emergency leave
recipients and the aggregate amount of donated annual leave needed for
transfer from the emergency leave bank; and
(4) 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 (b) of this section.
Sec. 630.1105 Limitations on donation and use of annual leave.
(a) An emergency leave donor may not contribute less than 1 hour
nor more than 104 hours of annual leave in a leave year. In unusual
situations, OPM may waive the maximum limitation on donating annual
leave under this section.
(b) Annual leave donated under this subpart may not be applied
against the limitations on annual leave that may be donated under the
voluntary leave transfer or leave bank programs established under 5
U.S.C. 6332 and 6362, respectively.
(c) An emergency leave recipient may receive a maximum of 240 hours
of donated annual leave at any one time from an emergency leave bank
for each disaster or emergency.
(d) Each emergency leave recipient shall use the donated annual
leave for purposes related to the disaster or emergency for which the
emergency leave recipient was approved.
(e) Annual leave transferred under this subpart may be--
(1) Substituted retroactively for any period of annual leave, sick
leave, or leave without pay used as a result 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 as a result of
the disaster or emergency.
(f) While an emergency leave recipient is in an emergency shared
leave status under this subpart, annual and sick leave shall accrue to
the credit of the employee at the same rate as if the employee were in
a paid leave status under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United
States Code, and shall 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.
(g) Annual leave transferred under this subpart may not be--
(1) Included in a lump-sum payment under 5 U.S.C. 5551 or 5552;
(2) Made available for recredit under 5 U.S.C. 6306 upon
reemployment by a Federal agency; or
(3) Used to establish initial eligibility for immediate retirement
or acquire eligibility to continue health benefits into retirement
under 5 U.S.C. 6302(g).
(h) When OPM determines that a disaster or emergency has terminated
under Sec. 630.1106(a)(1), OPM will return to the donating agencies any
annual leave donated to an emergency leave bank that is not used by an
approved emergency leave recipient. The amount of remaining annual
leave to be returned to each agency will be proportional to the amount
of annual leave donated by the agency to the emergency leave bank for
such disaster or emergency. Annual leave donated to an emergency leave
bank for a specific disaster or emergency may not be transferred to
another emergency leave bank.
(i) Under procedures established by the donating agency, the agency
shall determine the amount of annual leave returned under paragraph (h)
of this section to be restored to each of the emergency leave donors
who, on the date leave restoration is made, is employed by a Federal
agency. At the election of the emergency leave donor,
[[Page 59304]]
unused transferred annual leave restored to the emergency leave donor
under paragraph (h) of this section may be restored by--
(1) Crediting the restored annual leave to the emergency leave
donor's annual leave account in the current leave year; or
(2) Crediting the restored annual leave to the emergency leave
donor's annual leave account effective as of the first day of the first
leave year beginning after the date of election.
Sec. 630.1106 Termination of disaster or emergency.
The disaster or emergency affecting an emergency leave recipient
shall terminate--
(a) When OPM determines that the disaster or emergency has
terminated;
(b) When the emergency leave recipient's Federal service
terminates;
(c) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the emergency
leave recipient, or his or her personal representative, notifies the
employing 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 employing
agency determines, after written notice from the agency and an
opportunity for the emergency leave recipient, or his or her personal
representative, to answer orally or in writing, that the emergency
leave recipient is no longer affected by such disaster or emergency; or
(e) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the emergency
leave recipient's employing 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.
Secs. 630.1304, 630.1308, and 630.1309 [Amended]
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Section Remove Add
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630.1304(c)............................. Sec. 630.1109(b)(1)............ Sec. 630.1309(b)(1).
630.1308(b)............................. Sec. 630.1107.................. Sec. 630.1307.
630.1309(b)(1) and (d).................. Sec. 630.1104(c)............... Sec. 630.1304(c).
630.1309(d)............................. Sec. 630.1103(b)............... Sec. 630.1303(b).
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[FR Doc. 97-28970 Filed 10-31-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-01-P
