Evening star., 1899-02-09
LEAVES OF ABSENCE.
An Order on the Subject by Acting
Secretary Ryan.

Secretary Ryan.
Acting Secretary Ryan of the Interior De-
partment has issued the following bulletin
for the guidance of departments under the
Secretary of the Interior:
The law governing leaves of absence as
contained in acts of Congress approved
March Is and July 7. 1885, permits the head
of department to grant thirty days an
nual leave with pay In any one year to
each clerk or employe, and also not exceed
ing thirty days with pay in case of personal
1llr ess or of exposure to contagious disease
The maximum of leave that may be grant
ed with. pay in any circumstances is sixty
days within the year.
The Attorney General in an opinion dated
October %, 1898, holds that the heads of de-
partments are relieved from the duty of
considering exceptional and meritorious
features and the element of peculiar hard
ship fE connection with applca tfons for
SICK leave 1t must not be understood. how
ever, that applica tions which are not
meritorfous will be granted. and heads of
such for consideration.
II is hereby ordered that:
The head of each bureau is authorized 10
grant to each clerk or eemploye thirty davs'
annual leave with pay in any one year,
This leave may be allowed as needed or de-
sired subject to such regulations as may
pc deemed essential to the orderly and eff
nc1ent conduct of tie public busiress.
the head of the bureau shall carefully
consider every application for leave with
pay on account of exposure to contagious
dlsease, or of personal Illness and in the
exercise of a sound discretion shall recom-
mend to the Secretary such as, in his opin
ion. ought to be granted Every such an
plicatlon must be accompanied with n
statement of the leave of all kinds the ner-
son has had within the current year and
the three preceding years. and with evil
oence To establish the fact of exposure 70
contagion or of sickness and INABILITY to
work III the certificate of health officer
or physician cannot be obtained affidav Wits
ana other evidence may be considered Sick
leave viii not be granted in advance bnt n
person detained away by sickness or con-
tas1on should promptly notify his Office
statement of relevant facts and cir
cufnstances VIII be considered in connec
tlon with the amount of leave the applicant
mas nad IN recent years, in determining the
merits CT an application for sick leave.
Leave without pay may be allowed on ac-
count of sickness when the regular leave
mas been exhausted, but it will be granted
as Il faVor TO the individual only when in
the opinion of the head of the bureau the
puoilc business will not suffer by the an
sence, ana when reasonable cause is shown
absence IN Office hours. or by reason of
late arrival or early departure, shall be
charged 10 the appropriate leave account IN
periods of half an hour and multInIes
thereof
Sundays and public HOLIDAYS will he
charged when included within a period Of
ieave, IN accordance with the controllers
decision of February l. 1899
This order Supersedes the orders of Aprir
and July IS. 1885, on the subject of leaves
OF absence. and is applicable alike to all
clerks and regular employees under the
jurisdiction of this department irrespectiye
of their place of service.