Administrative leave for employees to receive

an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or

to take a family member to receive an

additional dose

This message is intended for all DOL Federal employees

Dear Colleagues:

To supplement DOL's existing policy that grants administrative leave for employees to receive COVID-19 vaccinations or

to accompany a family member to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, the Department is also granting administrative leave

for employees to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for the immunocompromised or to take a

family member to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

For this purpose, a "family member" is an individual who meets the definition of that term in the Office of Personnel

Management's (OPM) leave regulations (5 CFR 630.201) and includes the following relatives of the employee:

1. Spouse, and parents thereof;

2. Children, and spouses thereof;

3. Parents, and spouses thereof;

4. Siblings, and spouses thereof;

5. Grandparents and grandchildren, and spouses thereof;

6. Domestic partner and parents thereof, including domestic partners of an individual listed in items 2) through 5)

above; and

7. Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family

relationship.

Under this policy, employees can be granted up to 4 hours of administrative leave to receive an additional dose of the

COVID-19 vaccine or to take a family member to receive an additional dose. If an employee requires less than 4 hours,

only the needed amount of administrative leave will be granted.

For employees who take a family member to receive an additional dose of the vaccine, no more than 4 hours of

administrative leave may be granted. Time needed in excess of four hours may be granted, at the employee's request, as

annual leave, sick leave, or other forms of paid or non-paid leave.

However, for employees who get an additional dose and become too ill to work due to side effects, management may

grant administrative leave/excused absence for the remainder of that day and for up to two workdays immediately

following that (if those are workdays for the employee). For full-time employees on a flexible schedule, the number of

hours of administrative leave for the day of the additional dose and the two days immediately following that should not

exceed 8 hours per day.

LABORNET
Additionally, the following procedures apply for requesting and granting administrative leave to receive an additional dose

of the COVID-19 vaccine:

1. Employees must obtain supervisory approval in advance before using administrative leave to receive an additional

dose of the vaccine.

2. Requests for the use of administrative leave to receive an additional dose of the vaccine must be made by email and

must include the date/hours within the regularly scheduled workday for which administrative leave is being

requested. For requests to accompany a family member, the employee must also provide the family member's name

and relationship to the employee, using the previously listed categories.

3. An employee's self-certification of the additional dose appointment is acceptable.

4. Employees on approved administrative leave are not provided travel reimbursement, and employees may not be

credited with administrative leave or overtime work for time spent outside their tour of duty getting an additional dose

or taking a family member to get an additional dose.

5. Employees must use transaction code "66-Administrative Leave - Agency Directed" to record the administrative leave

in WebTA. The purpose for which the administrative leave is used must also be recorded in the employee's daily time

and attendance record using the following instructions:

a. Double click on either the "Time-In" or "Time-Out" entry on the day code "66-Administrative Leave - Agency

Directed" is recorded.

b. A remarks row will be added in the "Remarks" tab specifically for the administrative leave used on that day.

c. In the "Daily Remark" section, enter "COVID-19 Vaccine Additional Dose " or "COVID-19 Vaccine Additional

Dose for Family Member" as appropriate.

6. This DOL authority remains in effect until modified or canceled by the Department.

7. In accordance with OPM rules, employees may amend timesheets to replace previously used annual or sick leave

taken for this purpose with administrative leave retroactive to July 29, 2021, subject to the same limits, timekeeping

requirements, and documentation requirements.

To find COVID-19 vaccines near you, search vaccines.gov, text your zip code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233.

Questions regarding this policy may be sent to 

Additionally, a chart outlining the various authorities for granting administrative leave related to the COVID-19 vaccine

can be found on LaborNet.

Sincerely,

Sydney T. Rose | Chief Human Capital Officer

Last updated: August 26, 2021