Procedural
Requirements
Effective Date: September 01, 2022
Expiration Date: September 01, 2027
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NASA Procedural Requirements |
NPR 3600.1C Effective Date: September 01, 2022 Expiration Date: September 01, 2027 |
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Excused absence, also referred to as administrative leave, is an administratively authorized absence from duty without loss of pay or charge to leave. Administrative leave is not an entitlement, but is an authority, entrusted to the discretion of the agency. Authorized agency officials retain the discretion to approve or not approve administrative leave in any circumstance based on agency judgments regarding mission needs.
4.1.1 Supervisors may excuse employees for a brief period of time, without charge to personal leave balances, for Agency-sponsored/funded health examinations and preventive medical programs if the absence does not otherwise interfere with the accomplishment of work.
4.1.2 Supervisors shall excuse employees who are examined or treated at Agency facilities for illness, minor non-duty related injury, referrals under the Agency's Employee Assistance Program, or for Agency-ordered employment-related medical examinations, without charge to leave for the time necessary to be examined or treated.
4.2.1 An employee who suffers a job-related injury will be excused without charge to leave for any required absence on the initial date of injury (including local travel time) required for initial examination or outpatient treatment by a qualified physician or at any hospital of the employee's choice. To report a claim, the employee completes and submits applicable forms in accordance with NPR 1800.1, NASA's Occupational Health Program Procedures. On the date of injury, time away from work should be coded as administrative leave unless the injury occurred before the work shift began.
4.2.2 After the initial date of injury, an employee who suffered a job-related injury may elect to use accrued sick leave, other paid/unpaid leave, or Continuation of Pay (COP), if available, for medical appointments or disability. Medical documentation will be submitted by employees to support the use of COP.
4.2.3 An injured employee filing claims for occupational disease or illness is not entitled to excused absence, COP, or payment for medical or compensation until the claim is accepted. Injured employees claiming an occupational disease or illness will use annual leave, sick leave, or LWOP until the claim is accepted by the Office of Workers' Compensation Program (OWCP).
4.2.4 For further information on the Federal Workers' Compensation Program, see NPR 1800.1, Chapter 6.
4.3.1 Employees will be excused without charge to leave/loss of pay for the time required for a physical examination to determine fitness for performance of uniformed service as defined by 5 CFR ยง 353.102, or to determine qualifications for retention in reserve components provided no military pay is received for the period. For approval of an excused absence of more than one workday, the employee shall submit documentation from the examining station.
4.3.2 Periodic physical examinations for any Reserve component of the armed forces or in the National or State Guard organizations is not considered an excused absence. In this situation, the employee is charged for sick leave, or the employee can opt to use annual or other paid/unpaid leave.
Supervisors may excuse employees for the time it takes to donate blood, not to exceed four hours. The four hours is inclusive of the time required to reach the donation site and return, donate blood, and recuperate.
4.5.1 When election polls are not open at least three hours either before or after an employee's regular work hours, supervisors should allow maximum work schedule flexibility, to include telework, to allow an employee to vote. Supervisors may also grant administrative leave for a limited amount of time to permit the employee to report to work up to three hours after the polls open or leave from work up to three hours before the polls close, whichever requires the lesser amount of time off.
4.5.2 Extended Commuting Distance. If an employee's voting place is beyond normal commuting distance and vote by absentee ballot is not permitted, the supervisors may grant excused absence (not to exceed one day) to allow the employee to make the trip to the voting place to cast a ballot.
4.5.3 Time spent during the workday for volunteering at an election poll is not an excused absence.
4.5.4 Supervisors may grant administrative leave for early voting on a scheduled workday only when the employee will be unable to vote on the day of the election because of activities directly related to the agency's mission (such as Temporary Duty (TDY) travel) and cannot vote by absentee ballot or by early voting on a nonwork day.
Supervisors may excuse occasional and infrequent absence or tardiness, that is unavoidable or necessary, of less than one hour without charge to leave. For more than one hour, the supervisor may either approve the employee's use of available paid leave or allow the employee to make up the time at the end of the workday or no later than the end of the current pay period
4.7.1 NPD 1388.1 addresses employee participation in NASA education and communications outreach activities that are covered within the scope of official duty.
4.7.2 Volunteer opportunities not specifically considered official duty by the Agency, such as charities (including charities sponsored by the Combined Federal Campaign) may only be performed by the employee outside of work or when the employee requests and is approved for leave.
4.7.3 Employees may also use various flexible schedule options to volunteer, consistent with Center policies and supervisor approval.
4.8.1 In accordance with 5 CFR pt. 630, Subpart P, weather and safety leave is authorized when weather or other safety-related conditions prevent employees from safely traveling to or safely performing work at an approved location.
4.8.2 Weather and safety leave is typically authorized in conjunction with an Agency or Center operating status announcement.
4.8.3 Employees may be granted weather and safety leave during closures, early dismissals, and delayed arrivals if they are prevented from safely traveling to or safely performing work at a location approved by the Agency. For information on telework requirements during an emergency situation, see NPR 3600.2, Chapter 9.
4.8.4 All telework eligible employees (i.e., employees on an Agency-approved telework agreement) are ineligible for weather and safety leave when a closure is announced, unless the supervisor grants an exception based on the following situations:
a. In the supervisor's judgment, the employee could not have reasonably anticipated the severe weather or other emergency condition and therefore did not take home needed equipment or work (e.g., earthquake, severe unexpected weather change, etc.).
b. When the employee is prevented from working at the telework site because of the severe weather and safety event, for example a power failure, flooding, roof collapse, or other unsafe conditions at the telework site.
4.8.5 A telework eligible employee shall be prepared to work from home during an anticipated weather and safety event and during a Center closure even if it is not a regularly scheduled telework day, unless the Agency, Center, or supervisor has approved an exception in accordance with the regulation or OPM guidance. If a teleworker prefers not to work or is unable to work due to other than weather or safety-related reasons that do not prevent telework, the employee may request leave.
4.8.6 Employees on pre-approved leave are not eligible for weather and safety leave, unless the employee cancels the pre-approved leave due to their leave plans being disrupted by the weather and safety event (e.g., cancelled medical appointment, cancelled scheduled flight). This type of leave would only be appropriate if the supervisor determines a telework eligible employee is not telework ready through no fault of their own. Cancellation of leave is subject to supervisory approval under these circumstances.
4.8.7 While in a telework status, when a young child or other person requiring the presence of a caregiver is present in the home, any time an employee spends providing care to such individuals would not be considered hours of work. Employees shall account for work and non-work hours during the scheduled workday and request an appropriate leave type to provide such care.
4.8.8 Centers shall issue operating status announcements for Center or facility closures, dismissals, or delayed arrivals to employees (or instructions to supervisors of affected groups of employees) who report to offices outside of the Washington, DC area using the terminology set forth in Government-wide guidance, including the use of "weather and safety leave" instead of administrative leave or excused absence when approving an absence without charge to leave or loss in pay due to severe weather and other qualifying emergency situations.
4.8.9 Employees who report to offices located inside the Washington, DC area, which is defined as locations inside the Washington Capital Beltway, will follow OPM operating status announcements.
4.8.10 Employees shall monitor forecasted weather and safety events affecting their locations.
4.8.11 Supervisors shall communicate known anticipated weather and safety events to their employees to ensure that they are prepared to telework during the event. If a supervisor fails to inform an employee of an anticipated weather event, this does not automatically entitle the employee to weather and safety leave if they are deemed not telework ready. It is still the responsibility of the employee to monitor for these events as well.
4.8.12 Weather and safety leave is not authorized for remote workers, i.e., employees who perform work full-time at an alternative location (e.g., employee's residence), unless the weather and safety event directly affects the alternative worksite (e.g., loss of power or unsafe condition of the alternate worksite).
4.8.13 Servicing HR Directors will report operating status announcements to the workforce, CHCO, Deputy CHCO, and Chief, Human Resources Division at the NSSC as soon as practicable after the determination is made.
4.9.1 Center Directors/OICs or their designee are delegated authority to determine situations in which employees may be excused from duty without charge to leave, sparingly and consistent with 5 U.S.C. Chapter 63, specifically 5 CFR 630.1403(a).
The following sections cover: administrative leave for investigative purposes (related to employee conduct, performance, or other reasons prompting an investigation), investigative leave, and notice leave. This policy applies to all employees who have an established full-time or part-time work schedule. It does not apply to employees who work on an intermittent basis. Use of these types of leave must be accurately recorded by the supervisor in the time and attendance system.
The application of this section and 5 USC 6329a does not apply to other leave categories mentioned in other sections of this document that are covered by other laws or regulations, including where excuse from regular duties during official duty time is permissible.
a. Administrative leave for investigative purposes. - Subject to limitations found in 5 CFR 630.1404, Center Directors/OICs or their designee are delegated the authority to place an employee, with or without their consent, on administrative leave for investigative purposes in connection with an investigation that could lead to an adverse personnel action, initially for up to 10 workdays in a calendar year prior to use of investigative leave under 5 U.S.C. 6329b. This is separate from Investigative Leave.
b. Investigative Leave - In accordance with 5 CFR 630.1504,
(1) Center Directors/OICs, or their designee, have the authority and discretion to place an employee on investigative leave for an additional period of no more than 30 workdays after the employee was placed on administrative leave for investigative purposes for an initial 10 workdays (per 4.9.1.a) in a single calendar year after determining that further investigation is necessary.
(i) This determination must be in writing through evaluation of the baseline factors at 5 CFR 630.1503(e), the continued presence of the employee in the workplace may pose a threat to the employee or others; result in the destruction of evidence related to an investigation, result in loss of or damage to Government property; or otherwise jeopardize legitimate Government interests.
(ii) Options to avoid or minimize the use of investigative leave may be used, such as changing the employee's duties or work location, allowing the employee to voluntarily take leave, and placing them in an absent without leave status ifs the employee is absent from duty without approval.
(2) The Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO), or designee, has the authority to approve extensions (up to 90 workdays) of investigative leave in 30 workday day increments beyond the initial 30 workdays.
(i) Requests for extensions submitted to the CHCO, or designee, must include a written basis for the request including information that continued use of investigative leave is warranted. Extensions beyond 90 workdays are limited and subject to conditions including Congressional reporting.
c. Notice leave. The administration and requirements of notice leave can be found in 5 CFR 630.1505. Notice leave may commence only after an employee has received written notice of a proposed adverse action.
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