Federal Government Policy and Business

Q&A for federal workers: Changes to paid leave

The Washington Post: Question: Did I see the government is expanding paid leave for federal employees?

Answer: Not exactly. Recently proposed rules would clarify — and actually in some ways narrow — when an agency may grant paid time off without reducing the employee’s available vacation time or other paid leave.

That “administrative leave” has been somewhat informal, and policies vary among agencies. Some have kept employees away from work but still paid for long periods as they consider taking disciplinary actions or during appeals. The rules would carry out a 2016 law to end that practice and create new forms of leave to replace administrative leave in some situations.

These would be “investigative leave” while discipline is being considered and “notice leave” after discipline is ordered but before it takes effect. The rules would limit when agencies could keep employees in paid status without working and for how long.

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