Guidance Sent on Leave Policy Changes

Meanwhile, OPM has sent guidance to agencies (CPM 2008-04) on changes to leave and certain other policies contained in that same law. These include providing up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave per 12 months under the Family and Medical Leave Act to the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin in order to care for a military servicemember with a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty; any leave taken under other provisions of the FMLA law would have to be offset against those 26 weeks. Also, an employee who sustains a combat-related disability while serving as a member of the Armed Forces (including a reserve component) and is undergoing medical treatment for that disability will be eligible to participate in the leave transfer program without first having to exhaust their own available paid leave. The law also set the annual leave carry-over limit for senior level, senior scientific and professional and intelligence senior level employees at the same 90 days applying to senior executives. OPM said it would issue revised regulations to reflect those changes.