Postal Workers - Administrative Leave Policy

Postal Administrative Leave for Acts of God

The following is language from the USPS Employee Labor And Relations Manual (ELM)

519 Administrative Leave

519.1 Definition

Administrative leave is absence from duty authorized by appropriate postal officials without charge to annual or sick leave and without loss of pay

Acts of God involve community disasters such as fire, flood, or storms. The disaster situation must be general rather than personal in scope and impact. It must prevent groups of employees from working or reporting to work.

519.212 Authorizing Administrative Leave for Acts of God

The following provisions concern administrative leave for acts of God:

a. Postmasters and other installation heads have authority to approve administrative leave for up to 1 day.

b. District managers and Postal Career Executive Service (PCES) plant managers may authorize administrative leave beyond 1 day, but not to exceed a total of 3 days, for their installation and those reporting to it.

c. District managers and senior or lead plant managers may approve administrative leave for periods up to and in excess of 3 days for their installation and those reporting to it.

519.213 Determining the Cause of Absence

Postmasters and other appropriate postal officials determine whether absences from duty allegedly due to "acts of God" were, in fact, due to such cause or whether the employee or employees in question could, with reasonable diligence, have reported for duty.

519.214 Early Dismissal Due to Acts of God

When employees are dismissed from duty before the normal completion of their duty due to an act of God, the following applies:

a. Full-time employees are entitled to credit for hours worked plus enough administrative leave to complete their tour of duty. This combination of work and leave is not to exceed 8 hours in any one day.

b. Part-time regular employees are entitled to credit for hours worked plus enough administrative leave to complete their scheduled hours of duty. This combination of work and leave is not to exceed 8 hours in any one day.

c. Part-time flexible employees are entitled to credit for hours worked plus enough administrative leave to complete their scheduled tour. The combination of straight time worked and administrative leave may not exceed 8 hours in a service day. If there is a question as to the scheduled workhours, the part-time flexible employee is entitled to the greater of the following:

(1) The number of hours the part-time flexible worked on the same service day in the previous service week.

(2) The number of hours the part-time flexible was scheduled to work.

(3) The guaranteed hours as provided in the applicable national agreement.

519.215 Employees Prevented From Reporting

Employees scheduled to report who are prevented from reporting or, who after reporting, are prevented from working by an act of God may be excused as follows:

a. Full-time and part-time regular employees receive administrative leave to cover their scheduled tour of duty not to exceed 8 hours.

b. Part-time flexible employees receive administrative leave, subject to the 8-hour limitation, for their scheduled workhours, as provided in 519.214c.

519.216 Employees on Annual Leave, Sick Leave, or LWOP

Employees on annual leave, sick leave, or LWOP remain in such status. They are not entitled to administrative leave.

519.217 Substitute Rural Carriers and Rural Carrier Associates

Substitute rural carriers and RCAs in a leave-earning status are treated the same as rural carriers:

a. If they are scheduled for duty and are unable to report to the postal installation, administrative leave is granted for the full day that the employees are scheduled to serve their routes. No equipment maintenance allowance is paid.

b. If employees are scheduled for duty and report to the postal installation but are unable to serve all or part of their routes through no fault of their own, they may be granted administrative leave for the remainder of the normal tour of duty for that day. Payment for equipment maintenance allowance is made, if appropriate, because employees are considered to be in duty status.

519.22 Civil Disorders

519.221 Decision to Curtail or Terminate Postal Operations

During times of civil disorders in communities, the postmaster or installation head determines whether conditions are such that postal operations are curtailed or terminated, taking into account the needs of the service, local conditions, and the welfare of postal employees.

519.222 Civil Disorder Extends Beyond Three Days

When civil disorder extends beyond 3 days and administrative leave is indicated as being necessary, prior approval is obtained through the district manager or senior or lead plant manager.

519.223 Early Dismissal

Employees dismissed early because of civil disorder are treated the same as for early dismissals for acts of God (see 519.214).

519.224 Employees Prevented From Reporting

Postmasters and installation heads are authorized to grant up to 3 days of administrative leave on a day-to-day basis to those employees who, through no fault of their own, are prevented from reporting to work. The following applies:

a. Full-time and part-time regular employees prevented from reporting in civil disorder situations are treated the same as employees in the act of God situation (see 519.214a and 519.214b).

b. Part-time flexible employees are not granted administrative leave except if scheduled to report but are prevented from doing so. Provisions in 519.214c apply.

519.23 Relocation

519.231 Policy

An employee who is transferred or relocated in the interest of the Postal Service from one official station to another in the Postal Service is entitled to 5 days of administrative leave. The 5 days of administrative leave are not charged to any other leave.

519.232 Requirements

An actual physical move of the employee's household is a requirement for eligibility for relocation leave. Therefore, employees who are relocated to another duty station in the same commuting area who do not move their households are not eligible. The following employees are entitled to 5 days of relocation leave with pay when directed to transfer or relocate:

a. Employees who are transferred or relocated from one official duty station to another in the interest of the Postal Service.

b. Employees who request and accept a transfer in lieu of a separation or demotion when separation or demotion is not for personal cause.

519.233 Notation on PS Form 50

If any leave is granted by the losing duty station, the number of days allowed is noted in the Remarks section of the reassignment PS Form 50. Before granting relocation leave, the gaining duty station reviews the losing station's PS Form 50 to determine the additional leave that may be allowed.

519.234 Limitations

Relocation leave may be taken before or after the physical move and may be taken a day or more at a time; it must be taken in whole days. In no instance does it exceed a total of 5 days. In the event that the employee later decides not to transfer to the new station, all relocation leave taken is charged to annual leave or LWOP.

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