Federal employees who are laid off now have the right to apply unused leave toward reaching retirement eligibility, the Office of Personnel Management has announced.
Before OPM issued new rules last week, it was up to the discretion of agencies to decide whether to allow employees who have received reduction-in-force notices to apply their accrued annual leave toward retirement eligibility. Now employees are guaranteed that option.
"The new rules provide a humane approach, allowing federal employees close to retirement and affected by downsizing to use their leave and retire with full benefits," OPM Director Jim King said.
The new rules also apply to employees who are transferred or relocated.
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