ANNUAL LEAVE ENHANCEMENT
(§ 9812 of S.610)

PURPOSE: The Federal government’s annual leave benefit is not an attractive incentive to many individuals who hold mid-level or senior-level positions in the private sector. Typically, these individuals enjoy generous vacation packages with their current employers and they must forfeit this benefit when starting as a new Federal employee -- earning only hour hours of leave per biweekly pay period. The annual leave provision in NASA’s Flexibility Act of 2004 authorizes NASA to provide a more competitive annual leave accrual rate to employees under certain conditions.

KEY FEATURES

Enhanced annual leave provision for new appointees based on qualifying experience

• In determining a newly appointed employee’s annual leave accrual rate, NASA may credit certain nonfederal experience as if it were an equal period of service performed by a Federal employee.

• To be creditable, the nonfederal experience must have been performed in a position in the same line of work and requiring similar qualifications as the NASA position to which the individual is appointed.

• All or a portion of the qualifying experience may be considered in establishing the annual leave accrual rate.

• This provision applies to newly appointed NASA employees only; it is not retroactive.

• Any adjustment of the annual leave rate based on this provision applies only while the individual is employed with NASA. If the employee transfers to another Federal agency, his or her service credit for annual leave accrual purposes must be re-calculated in accordance with the rules applicable to the gaining agency.

Enhanced annual leave provision for senior level employees

• This provision establishes an annual leave accurate rate of one day for each full biweekly pay period for Senior Executive Service employees, ST/SL employees, and equivalent categories of employees whose rate of basic pay exceeds the rate payable at GS-15, step 10. This applies to current as well as newly-appointed NASA employees.

• Any adjustment of the annual leave rate based on this provision applies only while the individual is employed with NASA. If the employee transfers to another Federal agency, his or her service credit for annual leave accrual purposes must be re-calculated in accordance with the rules applicable to the gaining agency.