SUBCHAPTER IV-VOLUNTARY LEAVE BANK PROGRAM

$6361. Definitions

For the purpose of this subchapter the term—

(1) "employee" means an employee as defined by section 6301(2), but shall exclude any individual employed by the government of the District of Columbia;

(2) "executive agency" means any executive agency or any administrative unit thereof;

(3) "leave bank" means a leave bank established under section 6363;

(4) "leave contributor" means an employee who contributes leave to an agency leave bank under section 6365;

(5) "leave recipient" means an employee whose application under section 6367 to receive contributions of leave from a leave bank is approved; and

(6) "medical emergency" means a medical condition of an employee or a family member of such employee that is likely to require the prolonged absence of such employee from duty and to result in a substantial loss of income to such employee because of the unavailability of paid leave (disregarding any advanced leave).

§ 6362. General authority

Notwithstanding any provision of subchapter I, and subject to the provisions of this subchapter, the Office of Personnel Management shall establish a program under which—

(1) annual leave accrued or accumulated by an employee may be contributed to a leave bank established by the employing agency of such employee; and

(2) leave from such a leave bank may be made available to an employee who requires such leave because of a medical emergency.

§ 6363. Establishment of leave banks

Each agency that establishes a leave bank program under section 6362 shall establish 1 or more leave banks in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management.

§ 6364. Establishment of Leave Bank Boards

(a)(1) Each agency that establishes a leave bank shall establish a Leave Bank Board consisting of 3 members, at least one of whom shall represent a labor organization or employee group, to administer the leave bank under the provisions of this subchapter, in consultation with the Office of Personnel Management.

(2) An agency may establish more than 1 Leave Bank Board based upon the administrative units within the agency. No more than 1 board may be established for each leave bank.

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(b) Each such Board shall

(1) review and approve applications to the leave bank under section 6367;

(2) monitor each case of a leave recipient;

(3) monitor the amount of leave in the leave bank and the number of applications for use of leave from the bank; and

(4) maintain an adequate amount of leave in the leave bank to the greatest extent practicable.

§ 6365. Contributions of annual leave

(a)(1) An employee may, by written application to the Leave Bank Board, request that a specified number of hours be transferred from the annual leave account of such employee to the leave bank established by such agency.

(2) An employee may state a concern and desire to aid a specified proposed leave recipient or a leave recipient in the application filed under paragraph (1).

(b)(1) Upon approving an application under subsection (a), the employing agency of the leave contributor may transfer all or any part of the number of hours requested for transfer, except that the number of hours so transferred may not exceed the limitations under paragraph (2).

(2)(A) In any one leave year, a leave contributor may contribute no more than a total of one-half of the amount of annual leave such contributor would be entitled to accrue during the leave year in which the contribution is made.

(B) A leave contributor who is projected to have annual leave that otherwise would be subject to forfeiture at the end of the leave year under section 6304(a) may contribute no more than 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.

(c) The Leave Bank Board of a leave contributor may waive the limitations under subsection (b)(2). Any such waiver shall be in writing.

(d) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations establishing an open enrollment period during which an employee may contribute leave under subsection (a) for a leave year. § 6366. Eligibility for leave recipients

(a) An employee is eligible to be a leave recipient if such employee

(1) experiences a medical emergency and submits an application pursuant to section 6367(a); and

(2)(A) contributes the minimum number of hours as required under subsection (b) of accrued or accumulated annual leave to the leave bank of the employing agency of such employee, in the leave year (beginning in and including any part of a leave year in which such leave bank is established) that such employee submits an application to be a leave recipient under section 6367(a); and

(B) such contribution is made before such employee submits an application under section 6367(a).

(b)(1) An employee shall contribute the minimum number of hours required under subsection (a)(2)(A), if such employee is an employee

(A) for less than 3 years of service and contributes a minimum of 4 hours;

(B) for between 3 years and less than 15 years of service and contributes a minimum of 6 hours; or

(C) for 15 years or more of service and contributes a minimum of 8 hours.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), the Leave Bank Board of an agency, after consultation with the Office of Personnel Management, may

(A) reduce the minimum number of hours required under paragraph (1) for any leave year, if such Board determines there is a surplus of leave in the leave bank; and

(B) increase the number of minimum hours required under paragraph (1) for the succeeding leave year, in any leave year in which the Board determines there is a shortage of leave in the leave bank.

(c) An employee shall meet the requirements of subsection (a)(2)(A) if such employee contributes the minimum number of hours as required under subsection (b) of accrued or accumulated annual leave to the leave bank with which such employee submits an application to be a leave recipient under section 6367(a).

(d) The provisions of subsection (a) may not be construed to limit the amount of the voluntary contribution of annual leave to a leave bank, which does not exceed the limitations of section 6365(b).

§ 6367. Receipt and use of leave from a leave bank

(a) An application to receive contributions of leave from a leave bank, whether submitted by or on behalf of an employee

(1) shall be submitted to the Leave Bank Board of the employing agency of the proposed leave recipient; and (2) shall include

(A) the name, position title, and grade or pay level of the proposed leave recipient;

(B) the reasons why leave is needed, including a brief description of the nature, severity, anticipated duration, and, if it is a recurring one, the approximate frequency of the medical emergency involved;

(C) if such Board so requires, certification from 1 or more physicians, or other appropriate experts, with respect to any matter under subparagraph (B); and

(D) any other information which such Board may reasonably require.

If a Board requires that an employee obtain certification under paragraph (2)(C) from 2 or more sources, the agency shall ensure, either by direct payment to the expert involved or by reimbursement, that the employee is not required to pay for the expenses associated with obtaining certification from more than 1 of such sources.

(b) The Leave Bank Board of an employing agency may approve an application submitted under subsection (a).

(c) A leave recipient may use annual leave received from the leave bank established by the employing agency of such employee under this subchapter in the same manner and for the same purposes as if such leave recipient had accrued such leave under section 6303, except that any annual leave and, if applicable, any sick leave accrued or accumulated to the leave recipient shall be used before any leave from the leave bank may be used.

(d) Transferred annual leave

(1) may accumulate without regard to any limitation under section 6304; and

(2) may be substituted retroactively for any period of leave without pay, or used to liquidate an indebtedness for any period of advanced leave, which began on or after a date fixed by the employing agency of the employee as the beginning of the medical emergency involved.

(e) Except to the extent that the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe regulations, nothing in the provisions of section 7351 shall apply to any solicitation, contribution, or use of leave to or from a leave bank under this subchapter.

§ 6368. Termination of medical emergency

(a) The medical emergency affecting a leave recipient shall, for purposes of this subchapter, be considered to have terminated on the date as of which

(1) the leave recipient notifies the Leave Bank Board in writing that the medical emergency no longer exists;

(2) the Leave Bank Board of such leave recipient determines after written notice and opportunity for the leave recipient (or, if appropriate, another person acting on behalf of the leave recipient) to answer orally or in writing, that the medical emergency no longer exists; or

(3) the leave recipient is separated from service.

(b)(1) The Leave Bank Board of a recipient shall, consistent with guidelines prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, establish procedures to ensure that a leave recipient is not permitted to use or receive any transferred leave under this subchapter after the medical emergency terminates.

(2) Nothing in section 5551, 5552, or 6306 shall apply with respect to any annual leave transferred to a leave recipient under this subchapter.

§ 6369. Restoration of transferred leave

The Office of Personnel Management shall establish procedures under which any transferred leave remaining to the credit of a leave recipient when the medical emergency affecting the leave recipient terminates, shall be restored to the leave bank.

§ 6370. Prohibition of coercion

(a) 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 which such employee may have with respect to contributing, receiving, or using annual leave under this subchapter.

(b) For the purpose of subsection (a), the term "intimidate, threaten, or coerce” includes promising to confer or conferring any benefit (such as an appointment, promotion, or compensation), or effecting or threatening to effect any reprisal (such as deprivation of appointment, promotion, or compensation).

§6371. Accrual of leave

While using leave made available to an employee from a leave bank, annual and sick leave shall accrue to the credit of such employee and shall become available for use by such employee in the same manner as provided for under section 6337.

§ 6372. Additional leave bank programs

(a) For the purpose of this section—

(1) the term "excepted agency" has the same meaning as such term is defined under section 6339(a)(1) of this title; and (2) the term "head of an excepted agency" has the same meaning as such term is defined under section 6339(a)(2) of this title.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, neither an excepted agency nor any individual employed in or under an excepted agency may be included in a leave bank program established under any of the preceding provisions of this subchapter.

(c)(1) The head of an excepted agency may, by regulation, establish a voluntary leave bank program under which annual leave accrued or accumulated by an employee of such agency may be contributed to a leave bank, and any other employee of such agency may receive additional leave from such leave bank because of a medical emergency.

(2) To the extent practicable, and consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods (if applicable), each program under this section shall be established in a manner consistent with the provisions of this subchapter applicable to the program.

(d) The Office of Personnel Management shall provide the head of an excepted agency with such advice and assistance as the head of such agency may request in order to carry out the purpose of this section.

§ 6373. Authority to participate in both programs

(a) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations under which an employee participating in a leave bank program under this subchapter may, subject to such terms or conditions as the Office may establish, also make or receive donations of leave under subchapter III.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of section 6337 or 6371, if an employee uses leave transferred to such employee under subchapter III and leave made available to such employee under this subchapter in connection with the same medical emergency, the maximum number of days of annual leave and sick leave, respectively, which may accrue to such employee in connection with such medical emergency shall be the same as if all of that leave had been made available to such employee under this subchapter.