Y2K workers get to keep 'use-it-or-lose-it' leave

Federal employees who have to spend New Year's Eve massaging their agencies' computer systems instead of partying like it's 1999 are getting an unusual gift from Uncle Sam.

Under a final rule published in the Aug. 25 Federal Register, the Office of Personnel Management is letting federal employees involved in solving the year 2000 computer problem hold on to any unused vacation time until after the Y2K problem is fixed.

Many of the Y2K workers would have had to give up some of their annual leave under the government's "use-it-or-lose-it" policy. The Y2K issue has many government computer types working long hours this year. Many workers will have to miss the biggest party day of the year as they make sure federal systems roll into the new year successfully.

The rule took effect Wednesday and stays in effect until Jan. 31, 2000. Annual leave that would have been lost during that time can be applied later in 2000, OPM said.

One commenter on the new regulation questioned the need for such a gift, contending that the Y2K problem is not severe enough to warrant the rule change. OPM defended its decision.

"The Y2K conversion is a major effort that has required and is continuing to require employees to perform not just their regularly scheduled work, but overtime work on nights and weekends as well," OPM said.