Congress has given final approval to legislation requiring federal agencies to grant additional sick leave time in the first year of employment for certain veterans.
The bill would entitle a newly hired veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more to take up to a full year’s entitlement of sick leave–up to 104 hours of leave–in that year for medical reasons related to the disability.
Normally sick leave cannot be used until it has accrued, at the rate of four hours per pay period, although advanced sick leave can be granted in certain situations.
Any of the additional leave not used in the first year would not carry forward.
The House and Senate had separately passed similar bills with some minor differences, which were resolved by the Senate voting to accept the House version.
