The United States Postal Service is the second largest civilian employer in the country, with over 600,000 workers in a variety of roles. Like most careers, postal employees will inevitably need to take time away from work for personal, family, or medical reasons. Fortunately, USPS offers a generous leave program that provides job protection and income replacement for many of life‘s situations. However, the USPS leave of absence policy is complex, with numerous rules, requirements and exceptions.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive into the details of USPS leave benefits, including how much time off employees can earn, the process for requesting leave, how leave impacts pay and benefits, and expert tips for both workers and managers. Whether you‘re a new postal employee, a seasoned supervisor, or considering a job with USPS, understanding the leave policy is crucial for your career and work-life balance.
Types of USPS Leave
USPS employees have access to several categories of paid and unpaid leave, each designed for different purposes and with specific eligibility criteria. Here‘s a detailed breakdown:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is paid time off that employees earn based on their years of service and can use for any personal reason such as vacations or appointments. Full-time career employees accrue annual leave every pay period as follows:
| Years of Service | Accrual Rate | Hours per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 0-3 years | 4 hours | 104 |
| 3-15 years | 6 hours | 160 |
| 15+ years | 8 hours | 208 |
Part-time career employees earn annual leave on a prorated basis depending on the hours worked each pay period. For example, an employee with 5 years of service who works 30 hours per week will earn 3 hours of annual leave per pay period (30/40 x 6). Non-career employees such as casuals and PSEs do not earn annual leave.
Unused annual leave can be carried over to the next year but is limited to 440 hours for bargaining unit employees and 560 hours for EAS. Excess leave is forfeited if not used by January. Employees who separate from USPS will receive a lump sum payment for accrued annual leave.
Sick Leave
Sick leave is a form of paid leave used for absences due to illness, injury, pregnancy, medical appointments or to care for certain family members. All career employees, both full-time and part-time, earn 4 hours of sick leave per pay period, equivalent to 104 hours (13 days) per year. There is no maximum limit on sick leave accumulation.
To use sick leave, employees must follow proper leave request procedures including notifying their supervisor as soon as possible and providing documentation for absences over 3 days. Sick leave is approved at the discretion of management based on employee need and operational considerations. Misuse of sick leave or failure to follow procedures can result in discipline.
Some USPS employees such as mail handlers and nurses have different sick leave provisions in their union contracts. Always consult your specific bargaining agreement for details.
FMLA Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain qualifying reasons. For postal workers, these include:
- Parental leave for birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child
- Personal or family serious health conditions
- Military caregiver leave and qualifying exigencies
To be eligible for FMLA, you must have worked for USPS for 12 months and have 1,250 hours of service in the past year. FMLA leave can be taken continuously or intermittently and runs concurrent with any paid leave used. Health benefits are maintained during FMLA leave but employees must pay their share of premiums.
The FMLA process includes strict notification and certification requirements. Employees must give at least 30 days notice for foreseeable leave and provide complete medical documentation. Managers should be familiar with FMLA rules and deadlines to avoid violations. For more details, see the USPS FMLA resource guide.
Leave Without Pay (LWOP)
Employees who have exhausted paid leave or are ineligible for FMLA can request leave without pay for up to one year. Approval of LWOP is at the discretion of management and must be requested in writing in advance, except for emergencies.
During LWOP, employees are responsible for health benefit premiums, life insurance and other optional benefits. Leave accruals are suspended and LWOP time does not count toward retirement eligibility or pension calculations. Too much LWOP can result in a break in service. Before requesting extended LWOP, carefully consider the impact on your benefits and career.
Military Leave
USPS employees who are members of the Reserves, National Guard or other uniformed services are entitled to paid and unpaid leave for military duty. This includes:
- 15 days of paid military leave per fiscal year for active duty, training and funeral honors
- 22 days of paid military leave per calendar year for emergency duty as ordered by the President, Congress or a state governor
- Military LWOP for active duty over 15/22 days and for employees who exhaust paid military leave
During paid military leave, USPS employees receive their regular pay and benefits. Health benefits continue during military LWOP but employees must pay their share of premiums. USPS complies with USERRA rules for job reinstatement after military service.
Court Leave
Career postal employees are eligible for paid court leave when summoned for jury duty or subpoenaed as a witness in certain legal proceedings. Employees must provide a copy of the summons or subpoena and may keep any court fees received. Absences for voluntary court appearances are not covered by court leave.
Leave Usage Statistics
So how much do postal workers actually use their leave benefits? Here are some key statistics from USPS:
- The average career employee has 8 years of service and earns 160 hours of annual leave per year
- Employees used 77% of earned annual leave hours in 2020
- 20% of employees carry over the maximum allowed unused annual leave each year
- Sick leave usage averages 8 days per employee per year
- 4% of employees exhaust their sick leave each year
- FMLA absences account for 2.1 million hours per year, with 15,000 employees on FMLA at any given time
- Parental leaves for maternity, paternity and adoption total 1,500 per year
- Military LWOP averages 2,500 requests and 165,000 days per year
Expert Tips for Employees
To make the most of USPS leave benefits, keep these expert suggestions in mind:
- Plan ahead and request leave as early as possible, especially for peak times like holidays and summer
- Put your request in writing and keep copies of approvals
- Record leave used and regularly check your balances on earnings statements
- Maintain a bank of unused sick and annual leave for unexpected events
- If planning parental leave, review options for substituting paid leave during FMLA
- During open season, consider adding sick leave insurance like AFLAC to provide income during extended illnesses
- Stay in touch with your union rep and know your contractual leave rights
- When returning from extended leave, allow time to catch up and refresh skills
- Communicate openly with your supervisor about leave needs and work together on coverage
Manager Guidance
For USPS managers and supervisors, effectively handling employee leave is a crucial responsibility. Some key tips:
- Know the rules for each leave type and communicate policies to your team
- Be consistent, fair and confidential in handling leave requests
- Consider operational needs but don‘t unreasonably deny or delay leave approval
- Proactively plan coverage for anticipated leaves
- Regularly check pending leave requests and respond in a timely manner
- If unsure how to handle a complex leave situation, consult HR or union officials
- Ensure medical documentation for sick leave or FMLA is sufficient but respect employee privacy
- Foster a culture that supports appropriate leave usage and work-life balance
The Future of USPS Leave
Leave usage at USPS has steadily increased in recent years due an aging workforce, expanded FMLA rights, the demands of military deployments and other social and economic factors. The Postal Service estimates that leave costs add nearly $1 billion to annual operating expenses.
To control costs and streamline administration, USPS has proposed several changes to leave policies in contract negotiations with unions. These include merging annual and sick leave into one category of paid time off, requiring employees to use FMLA concurrent with paid leave, and tightening enforcement of medical certification rules.
Another major proposal is for paid parental leave. The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, passed in 2019, will provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave for most federal workers starting in October 2020. However, USPS is not included due to its unique self-funded status. Postal unions are lobbying Congress to extend this benefit to USPS, which could greatly improve the parental leave benefits.
As the future of work continues to evolve, USPS leave policies will likely adapt to meet changing employee needs and competitive pressures. Employees, managers and union leaders should stay informed on leave rules, remain flexible, and work collaboratively to support the Postal Service‘s dual mission of service and sustainability.
