HRDG 4630 - Absence and Leave - Section E
| Subchapter 4630 - Absence and Leave Section E - Nonpay Status |
- Conditions for Charging Nonpay Status
- Minimum Charge for Nonpay Status
- Time and Attendance Reports
- Impact of Holidays on Nonpay Status
- Effect of Nonpay Status on Benefits and Service Credit
- Absence Without Leave
- Suspension
- Furlough
- Subsection a--Leave Without Pay
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| Conditions for Charging Nonpay Status | An employee with a regularly scheduled tour of duty may be charged with appropriate nonpay status to cover absences on days that constitute the basic workweek or regular tour of duty when:
Most commonly used types of nonpay status include:
|
| Minimum Charge for Nonpay Status | The minimum charge for nonpay status is 15 minutes or multiples thereof. |
| Time and Attendance Reports | When an employee will be in nonpay status for more than 30 days, time and attendance reports are not required by National Finance Center if an SF-52, Request for Personnel Action, has been processed for the nonpay period. |
| Impact of Holidays on Nonpay Status | An appropriate nonpay status must be charged for a holiday if the employee is in a nonpay status on the workday immediately before and immediately after the holiday. |
| Effect of Nonpay Status on Benefits and Service Credit | An employee covered under the Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) program, and/or the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program, who is placed in nonpay status may be able to continue his/her benefits for up to 365 days. If eligible to continue FEHB, the employee must pay the employee share of the premium. FEGLI continues without cost to the employee. Contact your servicing personnel office (SPO) benefits specialist for additional guidance. If an employee is in nonpay status, service credit for retirement purposes will not be affected as long as the nonpay status does not exceed 6 months in a calendar year. Service credit for time toward a within grade increase may be affected, depending on the amount of nonpay status used and the step of the grade. Contact your SPO for assistance in determining the possible period of delay. Exception: Different rules apply to benefits and service credit when an employee is on LWOP for Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) purposes. Refer to Sections A and B for information on the affect of nonpay status on annual and sick leave accrual. |
| Absence Without Leave | Absence without leave (AWOL) means absence from duty, without pay, for which an employee has not been granted any type of leave, including leave without pay. If the employee later submits acceptable evidence that the absence was excusable because of illness or circumstances justifying approval of leave, AWOL may be retroactively changed to an appropriate leave category. Additional guidance on AWOL may be obtained from your servicing employee relations specialist (ERS). |
| Suspension | Suspension is the placement of an employee, for disciplinary reasons, in a temporary status without duties and pay. Contact your servicing ERS for more information and guidance. |
| Furlough | Furlough means placement of an employee in a temporary status without duties and pay because of lack of work, lack of funds, or other nondisciplinary reasons. The temporary nonduty/nonpay status lasts for more than 30 consecutive calendar days (more than 22 workdays if done intermittently), but no more than 1 year. Call your SPO for additional guidance on furlough. Note: An employee temporarily released based on pre-established conditions of employment (e.g., seasonal demands) is placed in a nonduty/nonpay status rather than furlough status. |
Conditions for Charging Nonpay Status
An employee with a regularly scheduled tour of duty may be charged with appropriate nonpay status to cover absences on days that constitute the basic workweek or regular tour of duty when:
- The employee does not have available annual leave, sick leave, credit hours, or compensatory time to cover such absences;
- The employee requests to use nonpay status in lieu of available paid leave; or
- The absences are not properly chargeable to any of these categories or to excused absence.
Most commonly used types of nonpay status include:
- Leave without pay (LWOP) (must be requested by employee);
- Absence without leave (AWOL);
- Suspension; and
- Furlough.
Minimum Charge for Nonpay Status: The minimum charge for nonpay status is 15 minutes or multiples thereof.
Time and Attendance Reports: When an employee will be in nonpay status for more than 30 days, time and attendance reports are not required by National Finance Center if an SF-52, Request for Personnel Action, has been processed for the nonpay period.
Impact of Holidays on Nonpay Status: An appropriate nonpay status must be charged for a holiday if the employee is in a nonpay status on the workday immediately before and immediately after the holiday.
Effect of Nonpay Status on Benefits and Service Credit: An employee covered under the Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) program, and/or the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program, who is placed in nonpay status may be able to continue his/her benefits for up to 365 days. If eligible to continue FEHB, the employee must pay the employee share of the premium. FEGLI continues without cost to the employee. Contact your servicing personnel office (SPO) benefits specialist for additional guidance.
If an employee is in nonpay status, service credit for retirement purposes will not be affected as long as the nonpay status does not exceed 6 months in a calendar year.
Service credit for time toward a within grade increase may be affected, depending on the amount of nonpay status used and the step of the grade. Contact your SPO for assistance in determining the possible period of delay.
Exception: Different rules apply to benefits and service credit when an employee is on LWOP for Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) purposes.
Refer to Sections A and B for information on the affect of nonpay status on annual and sick leave accrual.
Absence Without Leave: Absence without leave (AWOL) means absence from duty, without pay, for which an employee has not been granted any type of leave, including leave without pay. If the employee later submits acceptable evidence that the absence was excusable because of illness or circumstances justifying approval of leave, AWOL may be retroactively changed to an appropriate leave category. Additional guidance on AWOL may be obtained from your servicing employee relations specialist (ERS).
Suspension: Suspension is the placement of an employee, for disciplinary reasons, in a temporary status without duties and pay. Contact your servicing ERS for more information and guidance.
Furlough: Furlough means placement of an employee in a temporary status without duties and pay because of lack of work, lack of funds, or other nondisciplinary reasons. The temporary nonduty/nonpay status lasts for more than 30 consecutive calendar days (more than 22 workdays if done intermittently), but no more than 1 year. Call your SPO for additional guidance on furlough.
Note: An employee temporarily released based on pre-established conditions of employment (e.g., seasonal demands) is placed in a nonduty/nonpay status rather than furlough status.