Legislation Introduced to Protect Annual Leave Benefits for Frontline Employees

Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) has introduced the Federal Frontline Worker Leave Protection Act to ensure that employees responding to the COVID-19 pandemic do not lose annual leave due to an inability to take time off. The legislation is currently co-sponsored by Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Jamie Raskin (D-MD).

According to a release from Wexton’s office, most federal employees are allowed to carry over no more than 30 days of leave each year. Additional leave is lost, with limited exceptions that enable leave to carry over in the event that there is an urgent need for the employee’s work. Rep. Wexton’s bill would amend the existing law to include work responding to COVID-19 as an instance that would allow workers to roll unused hours over to next year.

"During the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, our federal workers are stepping up and working tirelessly to help Americans weather this crisis," said Rep. Wexton in the release. "It’s all hands on deck right now and taking time off is not an option for many federal employees. Federal workers should not be forced to lose their benefits while they carry out the essential work of government. We owe it to them to protect what they’ve earned.”

The legislation has been endorsed by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association- which represents over 28,000 law enforcement officers and agents across the federal government, many of whom are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an endorsement letter dated May 9, FLEOA President Larry Cosme explains, “The Federal Frontline Worker Leave Protection Act will ensure that federal employees do not lose any of their annual leave due to their inability to take time off as a result of COVID-19. This bill will make sure that every employee who is unable to take time off due to working in response to COVID-19, and exceeds the annual leave maximum cap, would have that excess leave balance rolling into the next year.”

Congresswoman Wexton has also introduced legislations calling on the Trump administration to mandate telework for all eligible federal employees and contractors, led an effort to prevent the termination of federal contracts during the pandemic, and pushed for the expansion of paid leave options for federal employees who have families with complex medical needs and who are unable to telework.