Evening star., 1936-07-11
UNIFORM LEAVE
NOW IN EFFECT
Executive Order Clears Up
Two Problems Under
Dispute.
BY J. A. FOX.

Government employees today for
the first time we're operating under
uniform leave regulations.
Conforming TO a provision in the
new law fixing sick leave at Is days
and annual at 26, President RooSe-
welt yesterday issued an order defin-
ing the manner in which the legisla-
ton Is to be applied. These rules
were formulated out of conferences
of the heads of the several estab-
lishments, called by the Civil Service
Commission, and doubtful points had
been cleared up in two decisions sew
eral weeks ago by former Controller
General McCarl.
This uniformity fills a long g-felt
need, practices varying over the de-
partments and independent agencies.
Two Problems Cleared Up.
The executive order disposed of two
problems which McCarl had said
would await presidential action and
which touched on the period between
January l and March 1.-THE lapse
between the old and new leave laws.
These questions arose because sick
leave formerly was at the rate of 80
days year. Where such leave was
taken in that time in excess of a
day and a quarter a month-the pres
ent rate-this excess is chargeable
against future accruals, the President
said. Where employees not previously
entitled to sick leave, and now get
ting it, had been sick in that time
and had charged the absence against
annual leave, or leave without pay,
the President decided they now may
be recompensed by substituting sick
leave as it accuplulates.
Another section of the order settled
a problem that invariably arises
when employees are separated from
the service, namely, the amount Of
leave to which they are entitled. BY
this ruling, all leave accrued up to
the date of separation is to be al
lowed If the employe is leaving with
out prejudice.
Advances May Be Made.
The order prescribed that advances
Of sick leave in excess Of the amount
earned, in emergency cases, must be
limited to 80 days at time, but three
such advances may be had in a year.
Temporary employees Of six months
or less cannot get advances, though
entitled to the usual day and quar-
ter per month sick allowance. The
temporaries, however, have one ad-
vantage: Their annual leave is at
the rate Of 2l2 days per month in
stead Of 21/16 which applies to the
permanent force.
Officers are allowed to use their
own dis -retion in advancing sick
leave, and in cases Of voluntary sepa-
ration or removal for cause any en-
ploye who had received more sick
leave than that to which he is en-
titled must reimburse the Government.
Provision for Saturday.
The sick leave chargeable is half
a day. except on those days, such as
Saturday, when four hours consti-
tute a work day. 1t then is charged
of in multiples Of an hour. Annual
leave charges may be as small as
IS minutes.
Sick leave in maternity cases now
becomes a Government-w policy.
The new regulations maintain tbs
leave differentials enjoyed by those
employees outside of the continental
| United States.
PRONUNCIATION of the regulations
was one Of the Presidents final acts
before leaving the Capital. Employees
had been looking forward to them
with interest, the Civil Service Com
mission being daily besieged with
calls as to their issuance.