Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

5 U.S.C. § 6302

General provisions

(a)
The days of leave provided by this subchapter are days on which an employee would otherwise work and receive pay and are exclusive of holidays and nonworkdays established by Federal statute, Executive order, or administrative order.
(b)
For the purpose of this subchapter an employee is deemed employed for a full biweekly pay period if he is employed during the days within that period, exclusive of holidays and nonworkdays established by Federal statute, Executive order, or administrative order, which fall within his basic administrative workweek.
(c)
A part-time employee, unless otherwise excepted, is entitled to the benefits provided by subsection (d) of this section and sections 6303, 6304(a), (b), 6305(a), 6307, and 6310 of this title on a pro rata basis.
(d)
The annual leave provided by this subchapter, including annual leave that will accrue to an employee during the year, may be granted at any time during the year as the head of the agency concerned may prescribe.
(e)
If an officer excepted from this subchapter by section 6301(2)(x)–(xiii) of this title, without a break in service, again becomes subject to this subchapter on completion of his service as an excepted officer, the unused annual and sick leave standing to his credit when he was excepted from this subchapter is deemed to have remained to his credit.
(f)
section 5584 of this title An employee who uses excess annual leave credited because of administrative error may elect to refund the amount received for the days of excess leave by lump-sum or installment payments or to have the excess leave carried forward as a charge against later-accruing annual leave, unless repayment is waived under .
(g)
An employee who is being involuntarily separated from an agency due to a reduction in force or transfer of function under subchapter I of chapter 35 or section 3595 may elect to use annual leave to the employee’s credit to remain on the agency’s rolls after the date the employee would otherwise have been separated if, and only to the extent that, such additional time in a pay status will enable the employee to qualify for an immediate annuity under section 8336, 8412, 8414, or to qualify to carry health benefits coverage into retirement under section 8905(b).

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 517Pub. L. 93–181, § 487 Stat. 706Pub. L. 95–519, § 292 Stat. 1819Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(f) [title VI, § 634]110 Stat. 3009–314Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(h) [title VI, § 653]112 Stat. 2681–480(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , , 3009–363; , , , 2681–528.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code

Revised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

(a)–(c)

5 U.S.C. 2064 (less (d), (e)).

Oct. 30, 1951, ch. 631, § 205 (less (d)), 65 Stat. 681.

(d)

5 U.S.C. 2062(h).

Oct. 30, 1951, ch. 631, § 203(h), 65 Stat. 681.

(e)

5 U.S.C. 2061a(b).

July 2, 1953, ch. 178, § 2(b), 67 Stat. 137.

In subsection (d), the words “the head of the agency concerned” are substituted for “the heads of the various departments and independent establishments”.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 105–2771998—Subsec. (g). inserted “or section 3595” after “chapter 35”.

Pub. L. 104–2081996—Subsec. (g). added subsec. (g).

Pub. L. 95–5191978—Subsec. (e). substituted “6301(2)(x)–(xiii)” for “6301(2)(x)–(xii)”.

Pub. L. 93–1811973—Subsec. (f). added subsec. (f).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–519section 4(a) of Pub. L. 95–519section 5551 of this titleAmendment by effective beginning on first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after , see , set out as a note under .

Temporary Authority To Transfer Leave

Pub. L. 101–237, title II, § 206(b)(2)103 Stat. 2068

Pub. L. 100–440section 4108 of title 38“The authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 618 of the Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act, 1989 [, set out below], to operate a leave-transfer program for employees subject to , United States Code, is extended until the programs provided for in subsection (e) of such section 4108 (as added by subsection (a) of this section) are implemented, but not later than .”
, , , provided that:

Similar provisions were contained in the following acts:

Pub. L. 101–144, title V, § 518103 Stat. 874, , .

Pub. L. 101–110, § 1(d)103 Stat. 682, , .

Pub. L. 100–440, title VI, § 618102 Stat. 1755

Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(m) [title VII]100 Stat. 1783–308Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(m) [title VII]100 Stat. 3341–308Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(m) [title VI, § 625]101 Stat. 1329–390section 7351 of title 5section 4108 of title 38“In order to ensure that the experimental use of voluntary leave transfers established under Public Laws 99–500, 99–591 [, , , 1783–334, and , , , 3341–334], and 100–202 [, , , 1329–430] may continue and may cover additional employees in fiscal year 1989, the Office of Personnel Management may continue to operate by regulation, notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, a program under which the unused accrued annual leave of officers or employees of the Federal Government may be transferred for use by other officers or employees who need such leave due to a personal emergency as defined in the regulations. The Office may provide by regulation for such exceptions from the provisions of as the Office may determine appropriate for the transfer of leave under this section. The Veterans’ Administration may operate a similar program for employees subject to , United States Code. The programs operated under this section shall expire at the end of fiscal year 1989, but any leave that has been transferred to an officer or employee under the programs shall remain available for use until the personal emergency has ended, and any remaining unused transferred leave shall, to the extent administratively feasible, be restored to the leave accounts of the officers or employees from whose accounts it was originally transferred.”
, , , provided that:

Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriations act:

Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(m) [title VI, § 625]101 Stat. 1329–390, , , 1329–430.

section 618 of Pub. L. 100–440section 604 of Pub. L. 101–237section 1720B of Title 38section 3(b) of Pub. L. 101–110section 1720B of Title 38For provisions ratifying any actions of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in carrying out , set out above, during the period , to , see , set out as a note under , Veterans’ Benefits. Similar provisions for the period , to , were contained in , set out as a note under .