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NTEU Supports Legislative Effort to Allow Donations of Sick Leave to Leave Banks

Press Release September 23, 2011

Washington, D.C. —The nation’s largest independent union of federal employees supports bipartisan legislation that would, for the first time, permit federal workers throughout government to transfer unused sick leave to agency-wide leave banks their colleagues could draw on in times of need, the union’s leader said today. At present, in virtually all agencies, only annual leave can be donated to agency leave banks.

“This is a good idea that will reap benefits for federal employees, their agencies and the government as a whole,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). “It has been shown time and again that federal employees care about their colleagues. and this gives them another avenue to help co-workers in need.”

President Kelley also emphasized that this is part of a well-rounded package of benefits that would attract and keep talented federal employees.

H.R. 3028 was introduced by Rep. James Moran (D-Va.), and is co-sponsored by Reps. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) and John Sarbanes (D-Md.). Each lawmaker represents a significant number of federal employees.

Under present law—enacted with NTEU’s help and support—federal employees can apply some of their unused sick leave toward their retirement annuity calculation; however, many employees nearing retirement have excess amounts of sick leave. Donating it to their agency’s leave bank, as this bill proposes, is an option many will welcome.

In introducing the bill, Rep. Moran said the measure is designed to provide “an equitable way” for federal employees to help their colleagues in times of prolonged illness and other circumstances.

For right now, only the Federal Aviation Administration has a policy allowing agencies to donate both annual and sick leave; in fiscal 2010, Rep. Moran said, FAA employees donated more than 22,000 hours of sick leave.

As the nation’s largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.

Contact: NTEU-PR@NTEU.org, 202-572-5500