While you have an absolute right to use your shore leave, it’s subject to your agency’s right to set the time at which it can be used. Image: Simon Edge/Shutterstock.com
By: Reg JonesWell, I’ve really been giving leave a workout over the last weeks, writing about Court Leave, Military Leave, LWOP, Sick Leave and Annual Leave. In closing this series, I want to focus on two other kinds. While they are less common, they’re still important to those of you to whom they apply. I’m talking about home leave and shore leave.
Home leave
If you are serving abroad and have completed a basic period of 24 months of continuous service, you’ll earn home leave in addition to earning your regular annual leave. You can accrue from 5 to 15 days of home leave for every 12 months of overseas service. Just be aware that the granting of home leave is at the discretion of your agency. Further, if you are granted home leave, it may only be used in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or possession of the United States.
If you’ve been granted home leave, it may only be taken under the following circumstances: First, while your official duty station is overseas. Second, within a reasonable period of time after you’ve returned home from service abroad but are either expected to return immediately or on the completion of an assignment to the U.S.
FYI: You are entitled to have your home leave balance either transferred or re-credited to your account if you move between agencies or are re-employed without a break in service of more than 90 days.
Shore leave
Employees are occasionally assigned duties aboard an oceangoing vessel which, by definition, means one that is used either on the high seas or on the Great Lakes, and which sails from one port and returns either to that port or to the final destination. If you are regularly assigned duties aboard such a vessel for a voyage of not less than seven consecutive days, you will earn shore leave.
Shore leave is earned at a rate of one day for every 15 calendar days of absence on one or more extended voyages. That leave is added to any annual leave you have and may be accumulated without limit.
While you have an absolute right to use your shore leave, it’s subject to your agency’s right to set the time at which it can be used.
Former head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management, and longtime FEDweek contributor, Reg Jones is known throughout the federal workforce community as an authority on pay and benefits.
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