.3 FAM 3340
Shared voluntary leave programs (Voluntary leave bank and voluntary leave transfer program)
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(Office of Origin: GTM/ER/WLD)
3 FAM 3341 Applicability
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
These regulations apply to Department of State employees who fall within 3 FAM 3312.
3 FAM 3342 Definitions
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
Available paid leave: Accrued or accumulated annual or sick leave, and re-credited and restored annual or sick leave. It does not include annual or sick leave advanced to an employee or any annual or sick leave accrued that has not yet been transferred to the appropriate leave account.
Committed relationship: One in which the employee and the domestic partner of the employee, are each other’s sole domestic partner (and are not married to or domestic partner with anyone else), and share responsibility for a significant measure of each other’s common welfare and financial obligations. This includes, but is not limited to, any relationship between two individuals of the same or opposite sex that is granted legal recognition by a state or the District of Columbia as a marriage or analogous relationship (including but not limited, to a civil union).
Domestic partner: An adult in a committed relationship with another adult, including both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.
Family member: An individual who has any of the following relationships to the employee:
(1) Spouse and parents thereof;
(2) Sons and daughters and spouses thereof;
(3) Parents and spouses thereof;
(4) Brothers and sisters and spouses thereof;
(5) Grandparents and grandchildren and spouses thereof;
(6) Domestic partner and parents thereof, including domestic partners of any individual in subparagraphs (2) through (5) of this definition; and
(7) Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.
Leave bank: A pooled fund of annual leave established by an agency for use by the leave bank members who need such leave because of a medical emergency.
Leave bank member: A leave contributor who has contributed to the leave bank, in an open enrollment period (or individual enrollment period, as applicable) of the current leave year, at least the minimum amount of annual leave required.
Leave contributor: An employee who contributes annual leave to the annual leave account of a leave recipient or to the leave bank board, where such contribution has been approved by the employee's employing agency or leave bank board.
Leave recipient: A current employee or a leave bank member who has been approved to receive leave from one or more leave donors and/or the leave bank.
Medical emergency: A medical condition of either the employee or the employee's family member that is likely to require the employee to be absent from duty for a prolonged period and to result in a substantial loss of income (expected absence without available paid leave of at least 24 work hours for a full-time employee, or in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in the employee’s biweekly scheduled tour of duty). An employee’s or family member’s incapacity due to pregnancy, recovery from childbirth, or another serious health condition that is likely to require the employee to be absent from duty without available paid leave for at least 24 hours (for a full-time employee) would constitute a medical emergency for purposes of the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP) and/or Voluntary Leave Bank Program (VLBP).
Medical certification: A medical certification has the meaning given that term in 5 CFR 630.1202 and is described in 3 FAM 3536.3(b).
Paid leave status: The administrative status of an employee while the employee is using accrued or accumulated annual or sick leave.
Parent:
(1) A biological, adoptive, step, or foster parent of the employee, or a person who was a foster parent of the employee when the employee was a minor;
(2) A person who is the legal guardian of the employee or was the legal guardian of the employee when the employee was a minor or required a legal guardian;
(3) A person who stands in loco parentis to the employee or stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis; and
(4) A parent, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of an employee’s spouse or domestic partner.
Shared leave status: The administrative status of an employee while the employee is using transferred leave from donors or leave transferred from a leave bank.
Son or Daughter:
(1) A biological, adopted, step, or foster son or daughter of the employee;
(2) A person who is a legal ward or was a legal ward of the employee when that individual was a minor or required a legal guardian;
(3) A person for whom the employee stands in loco parentis or stood in loco parentis when that individual was a minor or required someone to stand in loco parentis; and
(4) A son or daughter, as described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of an employee’s spouse or domestic partner.
3 FAM 3343 Program Qualification
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. An employee can participate in both shared leave programs, Voluntary Leave Bank Program (VLBP) and Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP), concurrently, as long as they meet the requirements for each program. When applying concurrently to both programs, the applications for the Voluntary Leave Bank Program will be considered prior to the application for the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program.
b. An application to become a leave recipient in the VLBP and/or VLTP is approved only when it is determined that the employee’s absence from duty without available paid leave because of the medical emergency will be or is expected to be at least 24 work hours, or in the case of a part-time employee or an employee who has an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in the employee’s biweekly scheduled tour of duty.
c. Once an application for Shared Leave Program participation has been approved under the VLBP and/or VLTP, annual leave contributions from leave contributors may be used to liquidate the leave recipient’s indebtedness for advanced annual or sick leave used for the medical emergency, or may be substituted retroactively for leave without pay used for the medical emergency.
d. Donated annual leave transferred under the VLBP and/or VLTP may not be substituted retroactively for any period during which a leave recipient is charged absent without leave under 3 FAM 3520.
e. Donated annual leave previously transferred to an employee under the VLTP must remain to the credit of the employee who later becomes a leave recipient under the VLBP, subject to 3 FAM 3348.4-3.
f. Donated annual leave under the VLTP and/or VLBP may not be used to bond with or care for a healthy child; to care for a child with a routine illness; to take a child to routine medical, dental, or optical appointments or well-baby doctor visits; for purposes relating to adoption or foster placement of a child; or for any other reasons other than a qualifying medical emergency.
g. Sick leave may not be donated under the VLTP or VLBP.
3 FAM 3344 Accrual of Annual and Sick Leave
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. Except as otherwise provided in this section, while an employee is in a shared leave status, annual and sick leave must accrue to the employee at the same rate as if the employee were in a paid leave status.
b. Any annual or sick leave an employee in a shared leave status accrues will be credited to a separate set-aside account. The maximum amount of annual and sick leave a leave recipient may accrue in a set-aside account while in a shared leave status in connection with any particular medical emergency may not exceed 40 hours of annual leave and 40 hours of sick leave (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee who has an uncommon tour of duty, the average number of hours in the employee’s weekly scheduled tour of duty).
c. Leave in a set-aside account will be transferred to the employee’s appropriate leave account(s) and become available for use:
(1) As of the beginning of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after the date on which the employee’s medical emergency terminates; or
(2) If the employee’s medical emergency has not terminated, once the employee has exhausted all donated leave made available.
d. An employee who returns to work part-time and who uses donated leave part-time because of a qualifying medical emergency accrues leave in their regular annual and sick leave accounts for the time spent in duty status (i.e., time spent working) and in their set-aside annual and sick leave accounts for time spent in shared leave status (i.e., time spent using donated leave).
3 FAM 3345 Retroactive Provisions
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
Applicants who have received advanced annual or sick leave may be approved for either program, only if they would have faced the loss of at least 24 hours of pay, or in the case of a part-time employee or an employee who has an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in the employee’s biweekly scheduled tour of duty, due to the medical emergency had annual or sick leave not been advanced. Applicants may apply after the termination of the medical emergency provided that the criteria of the minimum number of hours without available paid leave was met or would have been met had advance annual or sick leave not been approved. Requests for retroactive approval must be submitted within 90 days after the termination of the medical emergency.
3 FAM 3346 Leave Contributions Provisions applicable to shared Leave programs VLTP and VLBP
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. Employees with restored annual leave may contribute such leave in the VLTP and VLBP, and there is no limit on the amount an employee may contribute under this category.
b. In any leave year, a leave contributor may contribute no more than a total of one-half of the amount of annual leave the employee would be entitled to accrue during the leave year in which the contribution is made:
|
If you earn: |
Your donation limit is: |
|
8 hours per pay period |
104 hours per leave year |
|
6 hours per pay period |
80 hours per leave year |
|
4 hours per pay period |
52 hours per leave year |
c. In the case of a leave contributor who is projected to have annual leave that otherwise would be subject to forfeiture at the end of the leave year, the maximum amount of annual leave the employee may contribute during the leave year must be the lesser of:
(1) One-half of the amount of annual leave the employee would be entitled to accrue during the leave year in which the contribution is made; or
(2) The number of hours remaining in the leave year (as of the date of the contribution) for which the leave contributor is scheduled to work and receive pay. The employee must accrue leave before it can be donated, i.e., an employee cannot borrow and then donate leave.
d. These limitations must apply to the total amount of annual leave an employee donates or contributes during the leave year under either program.
3 FAM 3346.1 Leave Contributions VLBP
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The leave bank board has the authority to waive the limitations on annual leave contributions to the leave bank.
b. A leave contributor may specify that they would like their leave to be applied to a specific leave bank member. A contributor may not designate themselves or their immediate supervisor as the recipient.
3 FAM 3346.2 Leave Contributions VLTP
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Global Talent Management for Shared Leave Programs, or designee, may grant exceptions to the prescribed limits for contributions through the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program.
3 FAM 3347 General Guidance
3 FAM 3347.1 Application on Behalf of Potential Leave Recipient
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
If an employee is not capable of completing an application, a personal representative may submit a complete application on behalf of an employee to become an approved leave recipient.
3 FAM 3347.2 Intermittent Use of Leave Donations
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
In certain situations, a leave recipient may be able to continue to work while taking leave on an intermittent basis or on a reduced leave schedule for absences related to the medical emergency. A reduced leave schedule is a kind of intermittent leave scenario that amounts to a change in an employee’s usual number of working hours in a workweek or workday. Intermittent leave and reduced leave schedules are often used in connection with an employee’s request for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, as described in 3 FAM 3534.2.
When a leave recipient is affected by a medical emergency that requires the recipient to take leave on an intermittent basis or on a reduced leave schedule as described in paragraph (a), the recipient must first use any paid leave that they have accrued as a result of being in a regular duty status, (as described in 3 FAH-1 H-3412.1 and 3 FAH-1 H-3421) before they can use any annual leave donated through a shared leave program.
Example of reduced leave schedule: An employee is full-time and has exhausted all of their annual and sick leave, has been approved for leave donations under the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program, and has received 40 hours of annual leave for use during their medical emergency. Their medical emergency requires an absence for two workdays each work week, amounting to 32 hours absence per pay period. They accrue 6 hours of annual leave per pay period. Because they are able to work for 48 hours each pay period, they continue to accrue 6 hours of annual leave, except for instances in which the total time in non-pay status reaches 80 hours (see 3 FAH-1 H-3412.3). Before they can use any of the 40 hours of annual leave donations for the medical emergency, they must first use the 6 hours of annual leave and 4 hours of sick leave that accrues in the relevant pay period. For a pay period in which they are absent for the medical emergency for 32 hours, they must use 6 hours of their own accrued annual leave for their absence and 4 hours of their accrued sick leave, and may use 26 hours of donated annual leave for the remainder of their absence.
Example of intermittent leave schedule: The employee is full-time, has been approved as a leave recipient under the Voluntary Leave Bank Program, and has received 80 hours of annual leave for use during their medical emergency. Their medical emergency causes them to be absent for a varying number of days each week. On one week, they may be absent for two days, while in another week, they may be able to work all five days. They accrue 4 hours of annual leave per pay period. Before they can use any of the 80 hours of annual leave donations for the medical emergency, they must first use the 4 hours of annual leave that they accrue in the relevant pay period. For a pay period in which they are absent for the medical emergency for 24 hours, they must use 4 hours of their own accrued annual leave and 4 hours of their accrued sick leave for the absence, and may use 20 hours of donated annual leave for the remainder of the absence.
3 FAM 3347.3 Abuse of Leave
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
Use of leave for purposes other than what has been approved for the medical emergency described in an employee’s medical certification is considered abuse and will result in disqualification from the program(s) and liability for the amount of leave that was fraudulently used. Abuse of leave could result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal or separation from employment.
3 FAM 3347.4 Fraudulent Documentation
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
False or modified documentation submitted by an employee who is applying to become an approved leave recipient (including but not limited to manufactured medical documentation, altered dates, and false signatures) is illegal and will result in disqualification from the program and liability for any amount of leave the employee received and used fraudulently. Providing fraudulent documentation could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal or separation from employment.
3 FAM 3347.5 Prohibition of Coercion
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
An employee may not directly or indirectly intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any other employee for the purpose of interfering with any right that an employee may have with respect to donating, receiving, or using leave.
3 FAM 3347.6 Confidentiality
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
Information concerning individual leave recipients and donors is considered personnel sensitive, and is not to be released, unless the employee authorizes release, to anyone who does not have a need to know for the purposes of administering the programs. The names of donors and the amounts donated must not be revealed.
3 FAM 3348 Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP)
3 FAM 3348.1 Authority
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. Federal Employees Leave Sharing Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-566).
b. The Federal Employees Leave Sharing Amendments Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-103) (5 U.S.C. 6331 - 6340).
c. 5 CFR 630, Subpart I.
3 FAM 3348.2 Purpose
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
This directive establishes the procedures and requirements for a voluntary leave transfer program under which an employee may transfer unused accrued annual leave for use by an employee who needs such leave because of a medical emergency.
3 FAM 3348.3 Roles and Responsibilities
3 FAM 3348.3-1 Case Manager (HR/SS)
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
It is the responsibility of the case manager to:
(1) Administer this program, assigning duties as appropriate within the case manager offices;
(2) Approve or deny employee applications to be designated as a leave recipient, and accept and approve or disapprove written requests for employees to transfer annual leave to an approved recipient;
(3) Request the payroll office to effect transfers of leave through this program, keeping records of all transactions;
(4) Publicize the need of approved recipients for leave (if authorized by the recipient); and
(5) Request an audit be completed by the Payroll Coordinator.
3 FAM 3348.3-2 Leave Coordinator (GTM/ER/WLD)
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The Leave Coordinator:
(1) Coordinates the program with the case managers and payroll office;
(2) Develops the Department’s leave policy in alignment with federal leave regulations, policies, and procedures;
(3) Responds to data calls as necessary;
(4) Provides communication to Department employees; and
(5) Performs other functions as necessary.
3 FAM 3348.3-3 Payroll Coordinator (CGFS/C/APP)
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The Payroll Coordinator:
(1) Adds and subtracts leave from employees' accounts based on written requests from the case managers;
(2) Returns a prorated amount of unused leave to the leave contributors if the case manager informs them that the medical emergency of a leave recipient has ended before the employee used all of the leave contributed; and
(3) Maintains accurate accounting of leave intake and output.
3 FAM 3348.3-4 Supervisor
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The supervisor must:
(1) Treat an employee’s request to use donated annual leave the same as any annual leave under 3 FAM 3410 and 3 FAH-1 H-3410;
(2) Ensure that employees who are requesting to use donated annual leave have first exhausted their accrued annual and sick leave;
(3) Ensure that employees notify the HR/SS case manager once their medical emergency ends.
The use of donated annual leave is subject to the normal conditions and requirements for use of annual leave under 3 FAM 3410 and 3 FAH-1 H-3410. Employees must submit requests for donated annual leave and receive supervisory approval as they would with any other annual leave request. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that employees notify the case manager through the Shared Leave Program’s collective e-mail address upon return to duty.
3 FAM 3348.4 Use of the Leave Transfer Program
3 FAM 3348.4-1 Application to Become a Leave Recipient
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. An employee may make a written application, routed through the case manager, to become a leave recipient. If an employee is not capable of completing an application on their own behalf, a personal representative may make written application on the employee's behalf.
b. Each application to become a leave recipient must be accompanied by the following information concerning the potential leave recipient:
(1) Leave Application Employee Coversheet
(2) Application to Become a Leave Recipient (Form OPM-630)
(3) Medical Certification (per 3 FAM 3536.3);
(4) Earnings & Leave Statement from the last pay period prior to the start of the medical emergency; and
(5) Any additional information the case manager may require.
c. If the case manager requires further medical certification from more than one source, the Department is responsible for direct payment or reimbursement for expenses associated with obtaining the additional certification.
3 FAM 3348.4-2 Approval of Application to Become a Leave Recipient
(CT:PER-758; 12-16-2014)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The case manager must review an employee’s application to become a leave recipient to determine whether there is a qualifying medical emergency that affects the potential leave recipient.
b. Before approving an application for an employee to become a leave recipient, the case manager must determine that the absence from duty without available paid leave meets the criteria.
c. Absent extenuating circumstances, the case manager must notify the applicant within 10 business days after receiving the application of the action taken on the application. If the application is disapproved, the notification will include the reason for disapproval.
3 FAM 3348.4-3 Termination of Medical Emergency
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The medical emergency affecting a leave recipient must terminate:
(1) When the leave recipient’s Federal service terminates;
(2) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the case manager receives written notice from the leave recipient or from a personal representative of the leave recipient that the medical emergency no longer affects the leave recipient;
(3) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the case manager determines, after written notice from the case manager and an opportunity for the leave recipient or a personal representative to respond orally or in writing that the leave recipient is no longer affected by the medical emergency; or
(4) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the Department receives notice that the Office of Personnel Management has approved an application for disability retirement for the leave recipient under the Civil Service or Federal Employees Retirement System.
b. The case manager must monitor the status of the medical emergency that affects the leave recipient to confirm that the medical emergency continues to affect the leave recipient.
c. When the medical emergency affecting the leave recipient terminates, no further requests for transfer of annual leave related to that medical emergency may be granted.
d. The case manager can make a determination a medical emergency to continue for the purpose of providing a leave recipient an adequate period of time within which to receive contributions of annual leave.
e. Upon termination of a leave recipient’s medical emergency, any annual leave previously transferred under the voluntary leave transfer program and remaining to the credit of the leave recipient must be restored to the leave donor subject to 5 CFR 630.911 and 5 U.S.C. 6304(a).
3 FAM 3348.5 Appeals
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. If a leave recipient application is disapproved, the applicant may file a written appeal of the original determination with the case manager with the reason for the appeal within 15 business days of notification.
b. Upon receipt of an appeal, the case manager will review the documentation to determine the reason the application was disapproved.
c. Appeals will be considered individually and additional documentation may be required.
d. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Global Talent Management that supervises the Office of Employee Relations and Leave Programs, or designee, must review and render a decision within 10 business days of receiving the request for reconsideration from HR/SS.
An employee’s appeal should:
(1) Provide all relevant information and address why the request should be reconsidered; and
(2) Include any additional appropriate medical documentation to support the request.
f. An appeal can only be submitted through the HR/SS case manager using the VLB-VLTPrograms@state.gov e-mail address and only once per medical emergency.
g. The decision on the appeal shall be final.
h. The case manager will notify the leave recipient applicant in writing within five business days of the decision.
3 FAM 3348.6 Records and Reports
(CT:PER-758; 12-16-2014)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
Records must include the following:
(1) The number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting employees and the number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting an employee’s family member;
(2) Grade or pay level of each leave contributor;
(3) Grade or pay level and gender of each leave recipient;
(4) Total amount of transferred annual leave each leave recipient uses; and
(5) Any additional information OPM may require.
3 FAM 3349 Voluntary Leave Bank Program (VLBP)
3 FAM 3349.1 Authority
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. Federal Employees Leave Sharing Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-566).
b. The Federal Employees Leave Sharing Amendments Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-103) (5 U.S.C. 6361-6373).
c. 5 CFR 630, Subpart J.
3 FAM 3349.2 Purpose
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
This directive establishes the procedures and requirements for a voluntary leave bank program under which an employee may contribute unused accrued annual leave to a leave bank for use by a leave bank member who needs such leave because of a medical emergency.
3 FAM 3349.3 Establishing the Bank Board
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The Department must establish one leave bank and one leave bank board.
b. The leave bank board will consist of three members and three alternate members.
c. The Office of the Director General is responsible for selecting and appointing the two non-Union official members and two non-Union alternate members for the leave bank board.
d. The Bureau of Global Talent Management, Office of Employee Relations, Work Life Division, GTM Talent Services, and the Office of Comptroller and Global Financial Services are responsible for administration and implementation of the Leave Bank.
e. One member, and one alternate member, of the leave bank board must represent a labor organization on a rotational basis.
f. Management will have oversight of the board to include ensuring that the leave bank board conducts its functions as prescribed.
g. The leave bank is subject to all the conditions and requirements imposed by 5 CFR 630.1001 through 630.1016.
3 FAM 3349.4 Roles and Responsibilities
3 FAM 3349.4-1 Leave Bank Board
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The leave bank board must:
(1) Establish internal decision-making procedures;
(2) Review and approve or disapprove each application to become a leave recipient under 5 CFR. 630.1006 and 630.1007 where the case manager has determined that due to a qualifying medical condition, the employee is/is expected to be absent from duty without available paid leave for at least 24 hours (or, in the case of a part time employee or employee with an uncommon tour of duty, at least 30 percent of the average number of hours in an employee’s bi-weekly scheduled tour of duty);
(3) Review and approve or disapprove each application to become a leave contributor and leave bank member under 5 CFR. 630.1004;
(4) Monitor the amount of leave in the leave bank and the number of applications to become leave recipients;
(5) Maintain an adequate amount of leave in the leave bank to the greatest extent practicable;
(6) Direct the establishment of at least one open enrollment period for each leave year of leave bank operation; and
(7) Perform other functions as necessary.
3 FAM 3349.4-2 Case Manager (GTM/TS)
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The case manager must:
(1) Process member and recipient applications;
(2) If the case extends beyond the original dates, request additional medical documentation and an updated Leave Application Employee Coversheet;
(3) Explain general leave bank processes;
(4) Review each application for an employee to become a leave recipient, including appropriate supporting medical documentation, and determine whether an employee is expected to be absent from duty due to a qualifying medical condition and without available paid leave for at least 24 hours (or, in the case of a part-time employee or an employee with an uncommon tour of duty, 30% of the average number of hours of the employee’s biweekly scheduled tour of duty);
(5) Provide timely written notification to applicant of action taken on the application;
(6) Update and maintain leave recipient case files as necessary;
(7) Monitor the status of the leave recipient’s medical emergency;
(8) Receive notice that a medical emergency has ended or determine that the recipient is no longer affected by a medical emergency;
(9) Provide reports and documentation as deemed necessary by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM);
(10) Keep necessary staff (leave coordinators, timekeepers, payroll liaisons) informed of changes in requested and approved dates and duration;
(11)Maintain records concerning the administration of the Department’s leave bank; and
(12)Perform other functions as necessary.
3 FAM 3349.4-3 Leave Coordinator (GTM/ER/WLD)
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The leave coordinator must:
(1) Develop Department leave bank policies and procedures;
(2) Keep informed of all federal leave bank regulations;
(3) Coordinate and facilitate quarterly Leave Bank Board meetings;
(4) Communicate enrollment periods;
(5) Evaluate the effectiveness of the program;
(6) Establish an annual open enrollment period for each leave year of leave bank operation and announce additional open enrollment period(s) upon request from the Bank Board; (7) Provide program communication to Department employees; and
(8) Perform other functions as necessary.
3 FAM 3349.4-4 Payroll Coordinator (CGFS/C/APP)
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The payroll coordinator must:
(1) Administer the leave bank balance;
(2) Deduct leave bank membership amounts from contributing employees and add to the leave bank;
(3) Deduct leave donations from employees' accrued annual leave accounts upon written requests;
(4) Apply approved leave bank contribution amounts to eligible leave recipients;
(5) Audit leave account balances as required;
(6) Monitor the status of each leave recipient’s medical emergency for timekeeping purposes in coordination with GTM/SS;
(7) Ensure that annual leave withdrawn from the leave bank and not used before the termination of a leave recipient’s medical emergency is returned to the bank;
(8) Close Leave Bank Recipient cases;
(9) Provide sufficient information to allow the Board to monitor the amount of leave in the leave bank and the number of applications to become a leave recipient; and
(10) Perform other functions as necessary.
3 FAM 3349.4-5 Supervisor
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The supervisor must:
(1) Treat an employee’s request to use donated annual leave the same as any annual leave under 3 FAM 3410 and 3 FAH-1 H-3410;
(2) Ensure that employees who are requesting to use donated annual leave have first exhausted their accrued annual and sick leave;
(3) Ensure that employees notify the HR/SS case manager once their medical emergency ends.
The use of donated annual leave is subject to the normal conditions and requirements for use of annual leave under 3 FAM 3410 and 3 FAH-1 H-3410. Employees must submit requests for donated annual leave and receive supervisory approval as they would with any other annual leave request. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that employees notify the case manager through the Shared Leave Program’ s collective e-mail address upon return to duty.
3 FAM 3349.5 Leave Bank Enrollment
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. To become a member of the leave bank, an employee must enroll in the program during an open enrollment or individual enrollment period.
b. Once an employee is enrolled, the employee will be re-enrolled automatically each year during the open enrollment period with the following exceptions: the employee terminates/cancels their leave bank membership through GEMS during an open enrollment period; the employee separates from the agency; the employee has insufficient accrued annual leave to meet the minimum contribution for enrollment in 3 FAM 3349.5-4, unless the employee is a current leave bank recipient; the employee has exhausted the lifetime cap requirements; the employee is in INWS (Intermittent No Work Scheduled) status; the employee is a Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps (FSFRC) member in Reserve Status (i.e., non-pay, nonworking status); the employee is an intermittent employee; or the leave bank program is terminated.
c. Members of the Bank (not a recipient) who do not have enough leave during the open enrollment period to meet the required minimum contribution will not be re-enrolled as leave bank members. They can re-enroll as bank members during the next open enrollment season provided they have enough accrued leave for the minimum contribution for Bank membership.
d. Leave recipients who do not have sufficient available accrued annual leave to make the full minimum contribution required for re-enrollment will be deemed to have made the minimum contribution.
3 FAM 3349.5-1 Enrollment Requirements
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. An employee must enroll during an open enrollment or individual enrollment period through the GEMS Employee Self Service application in order to become a leave bank member.
b. If an employee elects to enroll, they agree to deposit the minimum contribution, set forth in 3 FAM 3349.5-4, according to their leave-earning category, which is determined by years of service, to the leave bank.
c. Leave is deducted:
(1) No later than pay period two of the new leave year if the employee enrolls in the leave bank during the open enrollment period;
(2) In the event of a secondary open enrollment period as prescribed by the leave bank board, the leave will be deducted in the second pay period after the secondary open enrollment period closes; and
(3) During an individual enrollment period, the leave will be deducted at the beginning of the first pay period after the employee’s enrollment to the voluntary leave bank program has been processed.
d. Once an employee has contributed leave to the leave bank, the contribution cannot be returned to the contributor unless the leave bank program is terminated.
3 FAM 3349.5-2 Open Enrollment Period
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
During the open enrollment period, employees may elect:
(1) To become leave bank members; or
(2) To terminate their existing leave bank membership.
3 FAM 3349.5-3 Individual Enrollment Period
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. An individual enrollment period allows employees to elect to become leave bank members outside the open enrollment period.
b. An individual enrollment period is:
(1) A 60-day period beginning on the date of the employee's entry on duty to the agency; or
(2) A 60-day period beginning on the date of an employee’s return to duty after an extended absence outside an open enrollment period.
NOTE: The employee must provide a copy of their T&A to VLB-VLT Programs verifying the 60 days of absence outside an open enrollment period. If an employee enrolls during an individual enrollment period, membership must be effective the beginning of the first pay period after the enrollment, after which the employee will be automatically reenrolled during the next open enrollment period unless any of the exceptions in 3 FAM 3349.5(b) apply.
3 FAM 3349.5-4 Membership Contribution Requirements
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The minimum contribution required to become a leave bank member for one leave year, except as provided in paragraph b, is:
(1) 4 hours of annual leave for an employee who has fewer than 3 years of service at the time the employee submits an application for membership;
(2) 6 hours of annual leave for an employee who has at least 3 but fewer than 15 years of service at the time the employee submits an application for membership; or
(3) 8 hours of annual leave for an employee who has 15 or more years of service at the time the employee submits an application for membership.
b. The leave bank board may:
(1) Decrease the minimum contribution required for the following leave year when the leave bank board determines there is a surplus of leave in the leave bank; or
(2) Increase the minimum contribution required in the following leave year when the leave bank board determines that such action is necessary to maintain an adequate balance of annual leave in the leave bank.
3 FAM 3349.6 Use of the Leave Bank
3 FAM 3349.6-1 Leave Bank Contributions
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. A Federal employee who is not a leave bank member may apply to contribute leave at any time. The leave contributor must specify the number of hours of restored annual or annual leave the contributor wishes to contribute.
b. A leave bank member who transfers from a different agency or to a different leave bank is subject to the policies and procedures of the new leave bank, including its minimum contribution requirements.
c. A leave contributor may specify that they would like their leave to be applied to a specific leave bank member. A contributor may not designate themselves or their immediate supervisor as the recipient.
d. A contribution of annual leave must not be returned to a leave contributor after deposit in the leave bank unless the leave bank program terminates.
3 FAM 3349.6-2 Application to Become a Leave Recipient
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. A leave bank member may make written application, routed through the case manager, to become a leave recipient. If a leave bank member is not capable of completing an application on their own behalf, a personal representative may make written application on the employee's behalf.
b. The following information must accompany an application by a leave bank member to become a leave recipient:
(1) Leave Application Employee Coversheet;
(2) Leave Request Application (form DS-630);
(3) Medical Certification (per 3 FAM 3536.3);
(4) Earnings & Leave Statement from the last pay period prior to the start of the medical emergency; and
(5) Any additional information that may be required by the leave bank board.
c. Within 10 business days of receipt of a leave bank recipient request, the case manager will provide to the board a report of a request to be processed.
d. If the board requires further medical certification from more than one source, the Department is responsible for direct payment or reimbursement for expenses associated with obtaining the additional certification.
3 FAM 3349.6-3 Approval of Application to Become a Leave Recipient
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The case manager must review an employee’s application to become a leave recipient for the purpose of determining whether the employee is a leave bank member who is or has been affected by a medical emergency.
b. The case manager must also determine that the employee’s absence from duty due to the medical emergency and without available paid leave meets the criteria found in 5 CFR 630.1007.
c. The leave bank board will review and approve or disapprove each application upon receipt of the case manager’s eligibility determination and provide timely written notification to the case manager of the action the Board takes on the application. If the application is disapproved, the notification will include the reason for disapproval.
d. The case manager will inform the leave applicant of the leave bank Board’s decision.
3 FAM 3349.6-4 Use of Leave
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. A leave recipient may use annual leave withdrawn from the leave bank only for the purpose of the medical emergency for which the leave recipient’s request was approved. During each biweekly pay period that a leave recipient is affected by a medical emergency, the leave recipient shall use any accrued annual leave (and sick leave if applicable) before using annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank. Where an employee has been approved for donated leave in connection with a medical emergency relating to pregnancy or childbirth, such donated leave may be used for an employee's own or for a family member's incapacity due to pregnancy, recovery from childbirth, or another serious health condition that constitutes a medical emergency without available paid leave.
b. Donated annual leave may not be used to bond with or care for a healthy child; to care for a child with a routine illness; to take the child to routine medical, dental, or optical appointments or well-baby doctor visits; for purposes related to adoption or foster placement of a child; or for any other reasons other than an approved qualifying medical emergency.
c. The approval and use of leave withdrawn from the leave bank is subject to all the conditions and requirements in 5 U.S.C. Chapter 63 and 5 CFR 630, except that annual leave withdrawn from a leave bank may accumulate without regard to any limitation imposed by 5 U.S.C. 6304(a).
d. Leave withdrawn from a leave bank may not be:
(1) Included in a lump-sum payment under 5 U.S.C. 5551 or 5552; or
(2) Made available for re-credit upon reemployment by a Federal agency under 5 U.S.C. 6306.
e. A leave recipient must request and receive approval from the recipient's supervisor by submitting a Form DS-7100 for each day the recipient intends to be absent from work.
f. While the employee is in a shared leave status, the leave bank board must ensure that annual and sick leave accrue to the credit of the employee in separate set-aside accounts per 3 FAM 3344.
3 FAM 3349.6-5 Termination of Medical Emergency
(CT:PER-1182; 03-26-2024)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The medical emergency affecting a leave recipient must terminate:
(1) When the leave recipient’s Federal service terminates;
(2) When the leave recipient leaves the Department, if the bank board so determines;
(3) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the leave bank board, through the case manager, receives written notice from the leave recipient or from a personal representative of the leave recipient that the medical emergency no longer affects the leave recipient;
(4) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the leave bank board, through the case manager, determines, after written notice from the bank board and an opportunity for the leave recipient or a personal representative of the leave recipient to answer orally or in writing, that the medical emergency no longer affects the leave recipient; or
(5) At the end of the biweekly pay period in which the Department receives notice that the Office of Personnel Management has approved an application for disability retirement for the leave recipient under the Civil Service or Federal Employees Retirement System.
b. The leave bank board must ensure that annual leave withdrawn from the leave bank and not used before the termination of the leave recipient’s medical emergency is returned to the leave bank (not to the leave contributor).
c. The leave bank board may deem a medical emergency to continue for the purpose of providing a leave recipient with an adequate period of time within which to receive contributions of annual leave.
d. If an employee is participating in the Leave Bank, their participation as a leave recipient ends with the employee’s death and/or the death of the family member.
e. Employees can used donated leave through the Shared Leave program solely for activities specifically related to the medical emergency and resultant death of a family member. The medical emergency status should be terminated promptly once these activities are completed.
3 FAM 3349.7 Appeals
(CT:PER-1017; 09-18-2020)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. If a leave recipient application is disapproved, a leave recipient applicant may appeal the original determination by request to the case manager with the reason for the appeal within 15 business days of notification.
b. Upon receipt of an appeal, the case manager will review the documentation to determine the reason the application was disapproved.
c. Appeals will be considered individually and additional documentation may be required.
d. The leave bank board must review and render a decision within 10 business days of receiving the request for reconsideration from the case manager.
e. An employee’s appeal should:
(1) Provide all relevant information and address why the request should be reconsidered; and
(2) Include any additional appropriate medical documentation to support the request.
f. An appeal can only be submitted once per medical emergency.
g. The leave bank board’s decision on the appeal shall be final.
h. The case manager will notify the leave recipient applicant via email or memorandum within five business days of the final decision by the leave bank board.
3 FAM 3349.8 Records and Reports
(CT:PER-758; 12-16-2014)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
Records must include the following:
(1) The number of leave bank members for each leave year;
(2) The number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting employees and the number of applications approved for medical emergencies affecting an employee’s family member;
(3) The grade or pay level of each leave contributor and the total amount of leave the contributor contributed to the leave bank;
(4) The grade or pay level and gender of each leave recipient and the total amount of annual leave the recipient actually used; and
(5) Any additional information requested by OPM.