OPM Issues Directives Concerning Administrative Leave, Hiring & Work Flexibility in Crises
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) set a few directives in motion last week, concerning COVID-19 administrative leave, personnel flexibilities during emergency situations, and hiring authorities.
In a memo to agency heads, OPM Director Kiran Ahuja approved paid leave for federal employees wishing to acquire the latest round of COVID-19 boosters. Director Ahuja explained that administrative leave would cover the time an employee spends getting vaccinated, traveling to the vaccination site, and receiving the vaccine. Employees who develop an adverse reaction to the vaccine or other symptoms should once more be entitled to additional administrative leave.
Federal employees may also receive administrative leave for taking a family member to the doctor for a booster or vaccination shot.
“Based on President Biden’s direction that the federal government should work aggressively to maximize the number of people receiving the updated COVID-19 vaccine, agencies must also continue to grant administrative leave to federal employees who accompany their family members who are receiving the updated COVID-19 vaccine (as well as primary series doses and other authorized additional COVID-19 vaccine doses),” Director Ahuja wrote.
In the wake of Hurricane Fiona and Ian, OPM also reminded agencies of the personnel flexibility available in emergency situations, stating that leave policies emphasize the importance of telework in providing employees with a way to continue working during severe weather conditions. Employees who are unable to travel to their normal worksite or perform work at an approved location, such as a telework site, may be granted weather-related or safety leaves. In addition, the memo discusses evacuation payments, advance leaves, and emergency leave transfer programs, and directs agencies to the OPM's handbook on emergency pay, hiring, and other authorities.
In a separate memo, OPM authorized agencies to use one of those hiring authorities to fill temporary positions directly tied to the relief and recovery efforts following the two recent hurricanes. It is possible to extend these appointments up to one more year under the excepted service schedule A.
