81_FR_51926 81 FR 51775 - Disabled Veteran Leave and Other Miscellaneous Changes

81 FR 51775 - Disabled Veteran Leave and Other Miscellaneous Changes

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 151 (August 5, 2016)

Page Range51775-51781
FR Document2016-18516

The Office of Personnel Management is issuing final regulations to implement the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015, which establishes a separate new leave category, to be known as ``disabled veteran leave,'' available during a 12-month period beginning on the first day of employment to be used by an employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more for purposes of undergoing medical treatment for such disability. We are also rescinding two obsolete leave-related regulations.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 151 (Friday, August 5, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 151 (Friday, August 5, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51775-51781]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18516]



========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each 
week.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 51775]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 630

RIN 3206-AN31


Disabled Veteran Leave and Other Miscellaneous Changes

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing final 
regulations to implement the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 
2015, which establishes a separate new leave category, to be known as 
``disabled veteran leave,'' available during a 12-month period 
beginning on the first day of employment to be used by an employee who 
is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or 
more for purposes of undergoing medical treatment for such disability. 
We are also rescinding two obsolete leave-related regulations.

DATES: This final rule is effective on November 5, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Rippey by telephone at (202) 
606-2858 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel 
Management (OPM) published proposed regulations (81 FR 36186) to add a 
new subpart M, Disabled Veteran Leave, in part 630 (Absence and Leave) 
of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, and rescind two obsolete 
regulations. These final regulations implement the Wounded Warriors 
Federal Leave Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-75, November 5, 2015) (hereafter 
referred to as ``the Act''). The Act adds section 6329 to title 5, 
United States Code, which establishes a separate new leave category, to 
be known as ``disabled veteran leave.'' This new leave category 
entitles any employee who is a veteran with a qualifying service-
connected disability to use disabled veteran leave during a 12-month 
period beginning on the first day of employment for the purposes of 
undergoing medical treatment for such disability.
    Disabled veteran leave available to an eligible employee may not 
exceed 104 hours for a regular full-time employee. Disabled veteran 
leave not used during the established 12-month period may not be 
carried over to subsequent years and will be forfeited. By law, 
disabled veteran leave is available only to covered employees who are 
hired (as defined at Sec.  630.1303) on or after November 5, 2016.
    The 30-day comment period for the proposed regulations ended on 
July 6, 2016. We received comments from 12 individuals, 1 agency, and 1 
Federal labor organization. This Federal Register notice provides 
general information regarding the regulation, addresses the comments 
received, and issues final regulations that reflect three changes to 
the proposed regulations in Sec. Sec.  630.1301, 630.1303, and 
630.1307(b).

Comments on Proposed Regulations

    We organized our responses to comments by the affected regulatory 
section number. We did not receive comments on all regulatory sections. 
Therefore, not all sections are discussed within this Supplementary 
Information.
    We received comments expressing general support for the new type of 
leave for disabled veterans. A Federal labor organization expressed 
that ``disabled veteran leave is an excellent way to help mitigate the 
adverse effects of military service and prevent veterans from 
experiencing unnecessary personal hardships as they transition into the 
civilian workforce.'' The labor organization stated that having the new 
104-hour leave entitlement available during the initial 12-month period 
of employment ``will greatly contribute to assisting veterans in making 
a more seamless transition to civilian duty by affording them the 
flexibility they need to undergo medical treatment.''
    Comments from individuals reflected that veterans often have 
multiple appointments necessary to treat their service-connected 
disabilities and may not have sufficient accrued sick or annual leave 
to attend those appointments. The comments expressed that the new leave 
category will make it possible for veterans to obtain necessary medical 
treatment for their service-connected disabilities (during the 12-month 
eligibility period) without having to take leave without pay, use 
accrued sick or annual leave, or become indebted for advanced sick or 
annual leave.

Contrary to Law

    We received several comments from individuals suggesting changes 
that would be contrary to the statutory requirements in law. These 
comments fell into three general categories: (1) The requirement that 
the disabled veteran leave benefit is applicable only to those hired on 
or after November 5, 2016, (2) the amount of disabled veteran leave 
provided (up to 104 hours), and (3) the 12-month period in which to use 
disabled veteran leave (i.e., that disabled veteran leave is a one-time 
entitlement rather than a recurring annual entitlement). Changes in 
these three categories would require a change in law; therefore, no 
changes were made to the regulations based on these comments.

Required Documentation for Eligibility

    A labor organization provided a comment on a section of the 
Supplementary Information of the proposed regulations related to Sec.  
630.1304 (Eligibility) (81 FR 36189). In that section, we stated it is 
important that agencies be able to identify as soon as possible whether 
an employee is entitled to the benefit since the disabled veteran leave 
is only available during the first 12 months after the first day of 
employment. However, we also noted that employees have a responsibility 
to provide proper documentation/certification from the Veterans 
Benefits Administration (VBA), a subcomponent of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA) to enable agencies to make determinations about 
eligibility for disabled veteran leave. The labor organization stated 
that the proposed regulations place the burden on veteran employees to 
provide the necessary documentation upon being employed to gain access 
to this benefit. The labor organization stated that our proposed 
regulations are silent on how employees will be notified of the 
existence of this benefit when they become employed and recommended 
that agencies provide

[[Page 51776]]

notice to veterans upon employment by including literature on disabled 
veteran leave in their new hire packets. Additionally, the labor 
organization urged that VBA notify employees of this benefit upon 
certifying their status as a veteran with a qualifying service-
connected disability. The labor organization acknowledged that the 
regulations contain a retroactivity provision at Sec.  630.1304(c), 
which addresses delayed employee submissions of VBA ratings; however, 
it asserted that having VBA provide notice of this new leave category 
would maximize the possibility of veterans taking advantage of the 
statutory entitlement to disabled veteran leave within the fixed 12-
month eligibility period.
    We agree that agencies should strive to make employees aware of the 
disabled veteran leave benefit. While we do not believe it is necessary 
to incorporate a formal notice requirement in regulations, we will 
encourage agencies through other means to educate and notify employees 
regarding the disabled veteran leave benefit. We have also informed VBA 
of the labor organization's recommendation that it notify veterans of 
this Federal employee leave benefit when it certifies that they have a 
30 percent service-connected disability rating.
Sec.  630.1302--Applicability and Sec.  630.1303--Definitions
    Commenters expressed that it was ``unfair'' to provide this leave 
benefit only to veterans hired on or after November 5, 2016, and 
expressed the need for the new leave category to apply to all veterans 
with a 30 percent or more service-connected disability rating.
    Section 2(c) of the Act specifically provides that disabled veteran 
leave is available to veterans with a 30 percent or more service-
connected disability rating who are hired on or after November 5, 2016. 
Thus, comments received regarding the application of the disabled 
veteran leave benefit only to those hired on or after November 5, 2016, 
are outside the scope of OPM's authority and regulations. OPM cannot 
prescribe regulations that are contrary to statutory requirements.
    While current Federal employees who were hired before November 5, 
2016, are not eligible for disabled veteran leave, the Federal 
Government offers a wide range of leave options and workplace 
flexibilities available to assist employees who need to be away from 
the workplace, including veterans who must take time off from work to 
receive medical treatment for their service-connected disabilities. 
These options include advanced annual leave or advanced sick leave, 
alternative work schedules, earned credit hours under a flexible work 
schedule, and earned compensatory time off. Depending on an employee's 
particular circumstances, leave without pay under the Family and 
Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or donated leave under the voluntary leave 
transfer program or voluntary leave bank program may also be options 
for employees needing time away from work for the treatment of their 
service-connected disabilities. (See also the discussion of leave 
rights under Executive Order 5396 at the end of this Supplementary 
Information.)
    Since the term ``hired'' is not defined in the statute, we define 
the term ``hired'' within these regulations to be broader than merely 
an employee's first appointment with the Federal Government. As 
discussed in the Supplementary Information of the proposed regulations, 
although the legislative history of the Act indicates that Congress was 
focused on the most common scenario--addressing veterans with 30 
percent or more service-connected disabilities who are ``new'' 
employees and begin their Federal careers with zero hours of sick leave 
(see House Report 114-180 and Senate Report 114-89)--the law itself 
does not exclude those with previous Federal civilian service.
    Therefore, we provide in these regulations that employees also will 
be considered to have a hiring event that may qualify them for disabled 
veteran leave (assuming they meet all other eligibility requirements) 
if, on or after November 5, 2016, they are (1) reappointed with at 
least a 90-day break in service or (2) return to civilian duty 
following a break in civilian duty (with continuous civilian leave 
status) to perform military service. (See definition of the term hired 
in Sec.  630.1303.)
    One commenter expressed concern that some employees may wait until 
after they are hired to file a claim for VA disability benefits, which 
would ``leave little or no time to make this process work,'' given the 
delays in the VA process for making disability determinations.
    This comment appeared to reflect a misunderstanding of when the 12-
month eligibility period begins. The 12-month eligibility period begins 
on the first day of employment, which is defined to mean the later of 
(1) the date the employee is first hired (in qualifying employment) or 
(2) the effective date of the employee's qualifying service-connected 
disability. The hiring date is the later date when an employee is hired 
after the effective date of the employee's qualifying service-connected 
disability. The effective date of the disability determination is the 
later date if the employee has already been hired. Thus, it is possible 
for the 12-month eligibility period to begin after an employee's hiring 
date. Because of comments indicating confusion about this matter, we 
are revising the definition of first day of employment to more clearly 
state the rule. We are also making a corresponding clarification in 
Sec.  630.1301 (Purpose and authority), which relies on the clarified 
definition of first day of employment.
    As discussed in the Supplementary Information for the proposed 
regulations, the effective date of a service-connected disability is 
generally either the day after the date of military discharge (if the 
person filed a disability claim within 1 year of discharge date) or the 
date the claim was filed. Thus, a delay in a determination by VBA can 
prevent an employee from using disabled veteran leave during the 
earlier portion of the 12-month eligibility period that may be 
retroactively established for certain employees. However, the 
regulations in Sec.  630.1306(c) address this situation by allowing 
such employees to retroactively substitute disabled veteran leave for 
other leave they may have taken for covered medical treatment.
Sec.  630.1304--Eligibility
    We received one comment regarding the requirement in proposed Sec.  
630.1304(b) that, ``[i]n order to be eligible for disabled veteran 
leave, an employee must provide to the agency documentation from the 
Veterans Benefits Administration certifying that the employee has a 
qualifying service-connected disability.'' The commenter expressed 
concerns about the VBA's ability ``to provide timely decisions'' and 
suggested that, in addition to the VBA rating, we also consider using 
the following documentation as a proof of a service-connected 
disability rated at 30 percent or more: A Report of Separation showing 
medically retired (30 percent) or Temporary Disability Retired List 
(TDRL) and/or a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB)/Physical Evaluation 
Board (PEB) evaluation from the service department concerned.
    The commenter also expressed concerns that ``while many veterans 
will seamlessly transition from active duty to VA care, there will be 
those who do not immediately file a claim with VBA.'' The commenter 
stated that ``for those who wait to file until after they are hired 
there may be little or no time to make this process work,'' and ``[i]f 
the veteran does not have the decision in

[[Page 51777]]

hand when hired, the veteran has no ability to push the process within 
the first year and only a limited ability for after the fact 
adjustments.'' The same commenter mentioned that there are other 
problematic issues that can delay a rating from VBA.
    The Act requires a formal finding by VA under title 38 that an 
employee is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 
percent or more. (The Act relies on the title 38 definitions of terms 
``veteran'' and ``service-connected.'' Only VA issues service-connected 
disability ratings to veterans under title 38.) The regulations already 
provide that a temporary disability rating by VA under 38 U.S.C. 1156 
is considered a valid rating as long as it is in effect. (See 
definition of the term qualifying service-connected disability in Sec.  
630.1303.) Accordingly, we are not making any changes to the 
regulations in response to the commenter's suggestions to use other 
forms of documentation as a basis for providing disabled veteran leave. 
As already noted, in the event that VA delays prevent an employee from 
using disabled veteran leave during a portion of the 12-month 
eligibility period, the regulations allow the employee to retroactively 
substitute disabled veteran leave for other leave used for attending 
medical treatment of the qualifying service connected-disability. (See 
Sec.  630.1306(c).)
    For example, assume a veteran is discharged from the military in 
July 2014 and is hired to fill a qualifying Federal civilian position 
on December 1, 2016, but has not filed a claim for veteran disability 
benefits. The agency cannot credit the employee with the disabled 
veteran leave at the time of hire because the employee's eligibility 
for the benefit has not been established by VA. Subsequently, on March 
4, 2017, the employee files a claim and on June 5, 2017, VBA issues a 
decision that the employee has a service-connected disability rating of 
30 percent. In this case, the disability rating is effective on the 
date the employee filed the claim, March 4, 2017. After the employee 
provides the employing agency with documentation, the agency 
establishes March 4, 2017, as the ``first day of employment'' (as a 
veteran with a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more) and 
as the beginning date of the employee's 12-month eligibility period, 
and credits the employee with disabled veteran leave. The employee will 
have a 12-month period starting on March 4, 2017, and ending on March 
3, 2018, in which to use the leave.
    While the disability may have existed as the employee awaited the 
VBA determination, the Act provides that disabled veteran leave may be 
provided only to an employee who actually has a service-connected 
disability rating of 30 percent or more in effect. VBA provides 
disability ratings to veterans in order to determine compensation 
benefits related to the veteran's service-connected disability.
    In the example scenario, the employee was retroactively determined 
to be eligible for disabled veteran leave starting on March 4, 2017; 
however, the determination was not made until June 5, 2017. Thus, the 
employee was not allowed to use disabled veteran leave during the March 
4-June 4 period; however, as provided by Sec.  630.1306(c), the agency 
must allow the employee to substitute disabled veteran leave 
retroactively for a qualifying period of absence during the March 4-
June 4 period (including leave without pay, sick leave, annual leave, 
compensatory time off, or other paid time off, but excluding periods of 
suspension or absence without leave (AWOL)).
Sec.  630.1305--Crediting Disabled Veteran Leave
    We received three comments regarding the crediting of 104 hours of 
disabled veteran leave on a one-time basis. One commenter thought 104 
hours was too much and recommended the regulations be changed to 
provide a maximum of 80 hours. The commenter also suggested that those 
80 hours be provided on an annual basis and recommended changing the 
effective date from November 5, 2016, to January 1, 2017, to avoid 
providing the leave benefit twice to an employee in a short amount of 
time.
    This comment is misdirected, as it appears that the commenter 
believes that disabled veteran leave is provided to qualified employees 
on a recurring annual basis. As the law clearly provides--and as stated 
in the proposed and final regulations--employees who otherwise qualify 
are provided disabled veteran leave only once during their Federal 
careers. The intent of the Act is to allow qualifying veterans access 
to this special category of leave during a single 12-month eligibility 
period that commences on the employee's ``first day of employment.'' 
The focus of Congress was to address the problem of new Federal 
employees who have a zero balance of sick leave when initially 
appointed. In subsequent years, employees can use accrued sick and 
annual leave balances to receive medical treatment for their service-
connected disabilities. Also, contrary to the commenter's assumption, 
disabled veteran leave is granted for an individualized 12-month 
eligibility period, not on a calendar year or leave year basis.
    Another commenter also recommended that the benefit be provided on 
an annual basis if the employee has a need for it and if the employee 
continues to have the service-connected disability.
    A third commenter stated that 104 hours was not enough time to 
cover the various medical appointments veterans with service-connected 
disabilities rated at 30 percent or more have. The commenter also 
stated that the location and operating hours of VA medical centers 
should have been taken into account when determining the amount of 
hours of disabled veteran leave to provide to an employee. The 
commenter suggested that VA medical appointments should be authorized 
as ``company time.'' The commenter did not feel he should have to 
supplement disabled veteran leave by using his own accrued sick leave 
to attend VA medical appointments.
    The comments received regarding the amount of leave to credit under 
the new leave category and how often this leave is made available are 
outside the scope of OPM's authority and regulations; therefore, no 
changes were made to the regulations based on these comments. Under 
section 6329(b)(1), the amount of disabled leave credited to an 
employee may not exceed 104 hours. The Act provides a one-time benefit 
of up to 104 hours of disabled veteran leave to an eligible veteran to 
be used during the12-month period beginning on the first day of 
employment.
Sec.  630.1306--Requesting and Using Disabled Veteran Leave
    One commenter expressed concern that the retroactive substitution 
provisions at Sec.  630.1306(c) are too complex. These provisions allow 
an employee to substitute disabled veteran leave retroactively for 
other leave or paid time off used for the medical treatment of a 
qualifying service-connected disability during the employee's 
established 12-month eligibility.
    We disagree and do not view these provisions as too complex to 
implement. In addition, the provisions allowing for retroactive 
substitution are necessary to assist employees who have not yet 
received their disability determination rating of 30 percent or more 
from the VBA. Therefore, we are not adopting any changes to this 
portion of the rule.

[[Page 51778]]

Sec.  630.1307--Medical Certification
    We received one agency comment regarding this section. The agency 
recommended that, in the final rule, Sec.  630.1307(b)(1) be changed 
from ``A statement by the health care provider that the medical 
treatment is for one or more service-connected disabilities of the 
employee rated at 30 percent or more'' to read as ``A statement by the 
health care provider that the medical treatment is for one or more 
service-connected disabilities of the employee that resulted in 30 
percent or more disability rating'' or other similar statement. The 
agency stated that the proposed section could be interpreted to mean 
that only individual disabilities rated at 30% or higher are eligible 
when in reality the leave may be used for any of the disabilities 
listed in the veteran's disability rating determination that were 
combined to reach a total disability rating of 30 percent or more. The 
agency acknowledges that the intent of this section is covered 
elsewhere in the proposed rule, but expressed concern that this 
particular verbiage could be misunderstood.
    We agree with the comment and are adopting the recommended language 
for Sec.  630.1307(b)(1) in the final rule.
    The same agency also commented on the proposed language regarding 
the time limits within which an employee must provide any required 
written medical certification to the agency after the agency requests 
it. In Sec.  630.1307(c)(1) of the proposed rule, the employee must 
provide the requested medical certification no later than 15 calendar 
days after the date the agency requests it.
    However, Sec.  630.1307(c)(2) provides that if it is not 
practicable under the particular circumstances to provide the requested 
medical certification within 15 calendar days after the date requested 
by the agency despite the employee's diligent, good faith efforts, the 
employee must provide the medical certification within a reasonable 
period of time under the circumstances involved, but no later than 30 
calendar days after the date the agency requests such documentation.
    The agency recommended removing the phrase ``diligent, good faith 
effort'' from the final regulations stating that ``good faith'' is not 
further clarified or defined in the proposed rule and agencies will 
have difficulty defending determinations that an employee did not meet 
``diligent and good faith efforts.''
    While we understand the commenter's concerns, we are not adopting a 
change to the final regulations. We recognize there may be 
circumstances in which the employee cannot provide the requested 
documentation within this prescribed time period; therefore, we provide 
a limited extended time period for the employee. The employee should 
make every effort to meet the initial 15 calendar days. However, if 
more time is needed by the employee, the agency should allow for 
additional days. The employee bears the responsibility for the required 
medical certification, and part of his or her effort should be periodic 
updates to the agency on the status of the required medical 
certification. The employee must provide the required medical 
certification no later than 30 days after the agency's initial request 
for such documentation.
    Analogous language regarding an employee's ``diligent, good faith 
efforts'' is also included in the medical certification provisions of 
both the sick leave regulations at Sec.  630.405(b) and the Family and 
Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations at Sec.  630.1208(h). We included 
parallel provisions in these regulations, so that agencies have one 
standard to administer regarding the timeframes for employees to 
provide supporting medical documentation to them. Additionally, we have 
not had any feedback from agencies expressing any difficulty in 
administering the sick leave and FMLA provisions based upon the 
``diligent, good faith efforts'' language included under those 
regulations.
Miscellaneous Comment(s)
    We received one comment regarding Executive Order (E.O.) 5396 
issued on July 17, 1930. E.O. 5396 provides a basic entitlement for any 
veteran to use annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay when 
absent from work for medical treatment of a service-connected 
disability (regardless of the disability rating). The commenter 
questioned why E.O. 5396 is not mentioned in the proposed rule. The 
commenter stated that ``the will of Congress was to expand the intent 
of the E.O. by actually paying the disabled Vet for some of the leave 
without pay (LWOP) that they were granted in the 1930 E.O. and that 
this E.O. is still in effect.'' The commenter further recommended that 
the final rule provide that E.O. 5396 be the first choice after 
disabled veteran leave has been exhausted.
    While we agree that E.O. 5396 is still in effect and valid, we did 
not mention it in the proposed rule because the rights provided by the 
Executive order and benefits under the disabled veteran leave law are 
two separate entitlements. OPM is authorized to issue regulations on 
disabled veteran leave under section 2(d) of Public Law 114-75. OPM has 
no authority to issue regulations regarding E.O. 5396. These disabled 
veteran leave regulations do not change an employee's entitlement under 
E.O. 5396 to use annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay for 
medical treatment of the employee's service-connected disability.
    The commenter was also concerned that the term AWOL (absent without 
leave) was mentioned several times within the proposed rule and 
expressed concerns that ``management would be quick to build up reasons 
to fire an individual.''
    The regulations include two references to AWOL. The first reference 
to AWOL in the proposed rule simply states that disabled veteran leave 
cannot be applied retroactively to time charged as AWOL, but may be 
applied retroactively to time initially charged as leave without pay 
(LWOP). The second instance permits an employee to be charged as AWOL 
if he or she fails to produce the medical documentation required by the 
agency. See Sec.  630.1306 and 630.1307. We have no reason to believe 
agencies will abuse this authority. Therefore, no change was made to 
the regulations based on this comment.

Executive Order 13563 and Executive Order 12866

    The Office of Management and Budget has reviewed this rule in 
accordance with E.O. 13563 and 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    I certify that this regulation will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities because it will apply 
only to Federal agencies and employees.

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 630

    Government employees.

    Office of Personnel Management.
Beth F. Cobert,
Acting Director.

    Accordingly, OPM is amending part 630 of title 5 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 630--ABSENCE AND LEAVE

0
1. Revise the authority citation for part 630 to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 6311; Sec.  630.205 also issued under Pub. 
L. 108-411, 118 Stat 2312; Sec.  630.301 also issued under Pub. L. 
103-356, 108 Stat. 3410 and Pub. L. 108-411, 118 Stat 2312; Sec.  
630.303 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6133(a); Sec. Sec.  630.306 and 
630.308 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3), Pub. L. 102-484,

[[Page 51779]]

106 Stat. 2722, and Pub. L. 103-337, 108 Stat. 2663; subpart D also 
issued under Pub. L. 103-329, 108 Stat. 2423; Sec.  630.501 and 
subpart F also issued under E.O. 11228, 30 FR 7739, 3 CFR, 1974 
Comp., p. 163; subpart G also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6305; subpart H 
also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6326; subpart I also issued under 5 
U.S.C. 6332, Pub. L. 100-566, 102 Stat. 2834, and Pub. L. 103-103, 
107 Stat. 1022; subpart J also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6362, Pub. L 
100-566, and Pub. L. 103-103; subpart K also issued under Pub. L. 
105-18, 111 Stat. 158; subpart L also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6387 and 
Pub. L. 103-3, 107 Stat. 23; and subpart M also issued under section 
2(d) of Pub. L. 114-75, 129 Stat. 640.


Sec.  630.310  [Removed and Reserved]

0
2. Remove and reserve Sec.  630.310.

0
3. Revise subpart M to read as follows:
Subpart M--Disabled Veteran Leave
Sec.
630.1301 Purpose and authority.
630.1302 Applicability.
630.1303 Definitions.
630.1304 Eligibility.
630.1305 Crediting disabled veteran leave.
630.1306 Requesting and using disabled veteran leave.
630.1307 Medical certification.
630.1308 Disabled veteran leave forfeiture, transfer, reinstatement.

Subpart M--Disabled Veteran Leave


Sec.  630.1301  Purpose and authority.

    This subpart implements 5 U.S.C. 6329, which establishes a leave 
category, to be known as ``disabled veteran leave,'' for an eligible 
employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 
30 percent or more. Such an employee is entitled to this leave for 
purposes of undergoing medical treatment for such disability. Disabled 
veteran leave must be used during the 12-month period beginning on the 
first day of employment. OPM's authority to regulate section 6329 is 
found in section 2(d) of Public Law 114-75.


Sec.  630.1302  Applicability.

    This subpart applies to an employee who is a veteran with a 
service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more, subject to 
the conditions specified in this subpart. This subpart does not apply 
to employees of the United States Postal Service or the Postal 
Regulatory Commission who are subject to regulations issued by the 
Postmaster General under section 2(d)(2) of Public Law 114-75. This 
subpart applies only to an employee who is hired on or after November 
5, 2016.


Sec.  630.1303  Definitions.

    In this subpart:
    12-month eligibility period means the continuous 12-month period 
that begins on the first day of employment. For an employee who was 
eligible (or later determined to have been eligible) for disabled 
veteran leave as an employee of the United States Postal Service or the 
Postal Regulatory Commission and who subsequently commences employment 
covered by this subpart, the 12-month eligibility period is the period 
that began on the first day of employment with the United States Postal 
Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission (as determined under 
regulations issued by the Postmaster General to implement 5 U.S.C. 
6329).
    Agency means an agency of the Federal Government. In the case of an 
agency in the Executive branch, it means an Executive agency as defined 
in 5 U.S.C. 105. When the term ``agency'' is used in the context of an 
agency making determinations or taking actions, it means management 
officials of the agency who are authorized by the agency head to make 
the given determination or take the given action.
    Employee has the meaning given that term in 5 U.S.C. 2105.
    Employment means service as an employee during which the employee 
is covered by a leave system under which leave is charged for periods 
of absence. This excludes service in a position in which the employee 
is not covered by 5 U.S.C. 6329 due to application of another statutory 
authority.
    First day of employment means the first day of service that 
qualifies as employment that occurs on the later of--
    (1) The earliest date an employee is hired after the effective date 
of the employee's qualifying service-connected disability, as 
determined by the Veterans Benefits Administration; or
    (2) The effective date of the employee's qualifying service-
connected disability, as determined by the Veterans Benefits 
Administration.
    Health care provider has the meaning given that term in Sec.  
630.1202.
    Hired means the action of--
    (1) Receiving an initial appointment to a civilian position in the 
Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment under 
this subpart;
    (2) Receiving a qualifying reappointment to a civilian position in 
the Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment 
under this subpart; or
    (3) Returning to duty status in a civilian position in the Federal 
Government in which the service qualifies as employment under this 
subpart, when such return immediately followed a break in civilian duty 
(with the employee in continuous civilian leave status) to perform 
military service.
    Medical certificate means a written statement signed by a health 
care provider certifying to the treatment of a veteran's qualifying 
service-connected disability.
    Medical treatment means any activity carried out or prescribed by a 
health care provider to treat a veteran's qualifying service-connected 
disability.
    Military service means ``active military, naval, or air service'' 
as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(24).
    Qualifying reappointment means an appointment of a former employee 
of the Federal Government following a break in employment of at least 
90 calendar days.
    Qualifying service-connected disability means a veteran's service-
connected disability rated at 30 percent or more by the Veteran 
Benefits Administration, including a combined degree of disability of 
30 percent or more that reflects the combined effect of multiple 
individual disabilities, which resulted in the award of disability 
compensation under title 38, United States Code. A temporary disability 
rating under 38 U.S.C. 1156 is considered a valid rating in applying 
this definition for as long as it is in effect.
    Service-connected has the meaning given such term in 38 U.S.C. 
101(16).
    Veteran has the meaning given such term in 38 U.S.C. 101(2).
    Veterans Benefits Administration means the Veterans Benefits 
Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs.


Sec.  630.1304  Eligibility.

    (a) An employee who is a veteran with a qualifying service-
connected disability is entitled to disabled veteran leave under this 
subpart, which will be available for use during the 12-month 
eligibility period beginning on the first day of employment. For each 
employee, there is a single first day of employment.
    (b) In order to be eligible for disabled veteran leave, an employee 
must provide to the agency documentation from the Veterans Benefits 
Administration certifying that the employee has a qualifying service-
connected disability. The documentation should be provided to the 
agency--
    (1) Upon the first day of employment, if the employee has already 
received such certifying documentation; or
    (2) For an employee who has not yet received such certifying 
documentation from the Veterans Benefit

[[Page 51780]]

Administration, as soon as practicable after the employee receives the 
certifying documentation.
    (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section, an employee may 
submit certifying documentation at a later time, including after a 
period of absence for medical treatment, as described in Sec.  
630.1306(c). The 12-month eligibility period is fixed based on the 
first day of employment and is not affected by the timing of when 
certifying documentation is provided.
    (d) If an employee's service-connected disability rating is 
decreased or discontinued during the 12-month eligibility period such 
that the employee no longer has a qualifying service-connected 
disability--
    (1) The employee must notify the agency of the effective date of 
the change in the disability rating; and
    (2) The employee is no longer eligible for disabled veteran leave 
as of the effective date of the rating change.


Sec.  630.1305  Crediting disabled veteran leave.

    (a) Upon receipt of the certifying documentation under Sec.  
630.1304, an agency must credit 104 hours of disabled veteran leave to 
a full-time, nonseasonal employee or a proportionally equivalent amount 
for employees with part-time, seasonal, or uncommon tours of duty, 
except as otherwise provided in this section.
    (b) The proportional equivalent of 104 hours for a full-time 
employee is determined for employees with other schedules as follows:
    (1) For an employee with a part-time work schedule, the 104 hours 
is prorated based on the number of hours in the part-time schedule (as 
established for leave charging purposes) relative to a full-time 
schedule (e.g., 52 hours for a half-time schedule);
    (2) For an employee with a seasonal work schedule, the 104 hours is 
prorated based on the total projected hours to be worked in an annual 
period of 52 weeks (based on the seasonal employee's seasonal work 
periods and full-time or part-time schedule during those periods) 
relative to a full-time work year of 2,080 hours (e.g., 52 hours for a 
seasonal employee who works full-time for half a year); and
    (3) For an employee with an uncommon tour of duty (as defined in 
Sec.  630.201 and described in Sec.  630.210), 104 hours is 
proportionally increased based on the number of hours in the uncommon 
tour relative to the hours in a regular full-time tour (e.g., 187 hours 
for an employee with a 72-hour weekly uncommon tour of duty.)
    (c) When an employee is converted to a different tour of duty for 
leave purposes, the employee's balance of unused disabled veteran leave 
must be converted to the proper number of hours based on the proportion 
of hours in the new tour of duty compared to the former tour of duty. 
For seasonal employees, hours must be annualized in determining the 
proportion.
    (d) The amount of disabled veteran leave initially credited to an 
employee under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section must be offset by 
the number of hours of sick leave an employee has credited to his or 
her account as of the first day of employment. For example, if an 
employee is being reappointed and having sick leave recredited upon 
such reappointment, the amount of disabled veteran leave must be 
reduced by the amount of such recredited sick leave. Similarly, if an 
employee is returning to civilian duty status after a period of leave 
for military service, that employee may have a balance of sick leave, 
which must be used to offset the disabled veteran leave.
    (e)(1) An employee who was previously employed by an agency whose 
employees were not subject to 5 U.S.C. 6329 must certify, at the time 
the employee is hired in a position subject to 5 U.S.C. 6329, whether 
or not that former agency provided entitlement to an equivalent 
disabled veteran leave benefit to be used in connection with the 
medical treatment of a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent 
or more. The employee must certify the date he or she commenced the 
period of eligibility to use disabled veteran leave in the former 
agency.
    (2) If 12 months have elapsed since the commencing date referenced 
in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the employee will be considered to 
have received the full amount of an equivalent benefit and no benefit 
may be provided under this subpart.
    (3) If the employee is still within the 12-month period that began 
on the commencing date referenced in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, 
the employee must certify the number of hours of disabled veteran leave 
used at the former agency. The gaining agency must offset the number of 
hours of disabled veteran leave to be credited to the employee by the 
number of such hours used by the employee at such agency, while making 
no offset under paragraph (d) of this section. If the employee had a 
different type of work schedule at the former agency, the hours used at 
the former agency must be converted before applying the offset, 
consistent with Sec.  630.1305(c).


Sec.  630.1306  Requesting and using disabled veteran leave.

    (a) An employee may use disabled veteran leave only for the medical 
treatment of a qualifying service-connected disability. The medical 
treatment may include a period of rest, but only if such period of rest 
is specifically ordered by the health care provider as part of a 
prescribed course of treatment for the qualifying service-connected 
disability.
    (b)(1) An employee must file an application--written, oral, or 
electronic, as required by the agency--to use disabled veteran leave. 
The application must include a personal self-certification by the 
employee that the requested leave will be (or was) used for purposes of 
being furnished medical treatment for a qualifying service-connected 
disability. The application must also include the specific days and 
hours of absence required for the treatment. The application must be 
submitted within such time limits as the agency may require.
    (2) An employee must request approval to use disabled veteran leave 
in advance unless the need for leave is critical and not foreseeable--
e.g., due to a medical emergency or the unexpected availability of an 
appointment for surgery or other critical treatment. The employee must 
provide notice within a reasonable period of time appropriate to the 
circumstances involved. If the agency determines that the need for 
leave is critical and not foreseeable and that the employee is unable 
to provide advance notice of his or her need for leave, the leave may 
not be delayed or denied.
    (c)(1) When an employee did not provide the agency with 
certification of a qualifying service-connected disability before 
having a period of absence for treatment of such disability, the 
employee is entitled to substitute approved disabled veteran leave 
retroactively for such period of absence (excluding periods of 
suspension or absence without leave (AWOL), but including leave without 
pay, sick leave, annual leave, compensatory time off, or other paid 
time off) in the 12-month eligibility period. Such retroactive 
substitution cancels the use of the original leave or paid time off and 
requires appropriate adjustments. In the case of retroactive 
substitution for a period when an employee used advanced annual leave 
or advanced sick leave, the adjustment is a liquidation of the leave 
indebtedness covered by the substitution.
    (2) An agency may require an employee to submit the medical 
certification described in Sec.  630.1307(a)

[[Page 51781]]

before approving such retroactive substitution.


Sec.  630.1307  Medical certification.

    (a) In addition to the employee's self-certification required under 
Sec.  630.1306(b)(1), an agency may additionally require that the use 
of disabled veteran leave be supported by a signed written medical 
certification issued by a health care provider.
    (b) When an agency requires a signed written medical certification 
by a health care provider, the agency may specify that the 
certification include--
    (1) A statement by the health care provider that the medical 
treatment is for one or more service-connected disabilities of the 
employee that resulted in 30 percent or more disability rating;
    (2) The date or dates of treatment or, if the treatment extends 
over several days, the beginning and ending dates of the treatment;
    (3) If the leave was not requested in advance, a statement that the 
treatment required was of an urgent nature or there were other 
circumstances that made advanced scheduling not possible; and
    (4) Any additional information that is essential to verify the 
employee's eligibility.
    (c)(1) An employee must provide any required written medical 
certification no later than 15 calendar days after the date the agency 
requests such medical certification, except as otherwise allowed under 
paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
    (2) If the agency determines it is not practicable under the 
particular circumstances for the employee to provide the requested 
medical certification within 15 calendar days after the date requested 
by the agency despite the employee's diligent, good faith efforts, the 
employee must provide the medical certification within a reasonable 
period of time under the circumstances involved, but no later than 30 
calendar days after the date the agency requests such documentation.
    (3) An employee who does not provide the required evidence or 
medical certification within the specified time period is not entitled 
to use disabled veteran leave, and the agency may, as appropriate and 
consistent with applicable laws and regulations--
    (i) Charge the employee as absent without leave (AWOL); or
    (ii) Allow the employee to request that the absence be charged to 
leave without pay, sick leave, annual leave, or other forms of paid 
time off.


Sec.  630.1308  Disabled veteran leave forfeiture, transfer, 
reinstatement.

    (a) Disabled veteran leave not used during the 12-month eligibility 
period may not be carried over to subsequent years and must be 
forfeited.
    (b) If a change in the employee's disability rating during the 12-
month eligibility period causes the employee to no longer have a 
qualifying service-connected disability (as described in Sec.  
630.1304(d)), any unused disabled veteran leave to the employee's 
credit as of the effective date of the rating change must be forfeited.
    (c) When an employee with a positive disabled veteran leave balance 
transfers between positions in different agencies, or transfers from 
the United States Postal Service or Postal Regulatory Commission to a 
position in another agency, during the 12-month eligibility period, the 
agency from which the employee transfers must certify the number of 
unused disabled veteran leave hours available for credit by the gaining 
agency. The losing agency must also certify the expiration date of the 
employee's 12-month eligibility period to the gaining agency. Any 
unused disabled veteran leave will be forfeited at the end of that 
eligibility period. For the purpose of this paragraph, the term 
``transfers'' means movement from a position in one agency (or the 
United States Postal Service or Postal Regulatory Commission) to a 
position in another agency without a break in employment of 1 workday 
or more in circumstances where service in both positions qualifies as 
employment under this subpart.
    (d)(1) An employee covered by this subpart, or an employee of the 
United States Postal Service or Postal Regulatory Commission, with a 
balance of unused disabled veteran leave who has a break in employment 
of at least 1 workday during the employee's 12-month eligibility 
period, and later recommences employment covered by 5 U.S.C. 6329 
within that same eligibility period, is entitled to a recredit of the 
unused balance.
    (2) When an employee has a break in employment as described in 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the losing agency must certify the 
number of unused disabled veteran leave hours available for recredit by 
the gaining agency. The losing agency must also certify the expiration 
date of the employee's 12-month eligibility period. Any unused disabled 
veteran leave must be forfeited at the end of that eligibility period.
    (3) In the absence of the certification described in paragraph 
(d)(2) of this section, the recredit of disabled veteran leave may also 
be supported by written documentation available to the employing agency 
in its official personnel records concerning the employee, the official 
records of the employee's former employing agency, copies of 
contemporaneous earnings and leave statement(s) provided by the 
employee, or copies of other contemporaneous written documentation 
acceptable to the agency.
    (e) An employee may not receive a lump-sum payment for any unused 
disabled veteran leave under any circumstance.

[FR Doc. 2016-18516 Filed 8-4-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P



                                                                                                                                                                                                 51775

                                                Rules and Regulations                                                                                         Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                              Vol. 81, No. 151

                                                                                                                                                              Friday, August 5, 2016



                                                This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                    new leave category entitles any                       that the new leave category will make it
                                                contains regulatory documents having general            employee who is a veteran with a                      possible for veterans to obtain necessary
                                                applicability and legal effect, most of which           qualifying service-connected disability               medical treatment for their service-
                                                are keyed to and codified in the Code of                to use disabled veteran leave during a                connected disabilities (during the 12-
                                                Federal Regulations, which is published under           12-month period beginning on the first                month eligibility period) without having
                                                50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
                                                                                                        day of employment for the purposes of                 to take leave without pay, use accrued
                                                The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by              undergoing medical treatment for such                 sick or annual leave, or become
                                                the Superintendent of Documents. Prices of              disability.                                           indebted for advanced sick or annual
                                                new books are listed in the first FEDERAL                  Disabled veteran leave available to an             leave.
                                                REGISTER issue of each week.                            eligible employee may not exceed 104
                                                                                                        hours for a regular full-time employee.               Contrary to Law
                                                                                                        Disabled veteran leave not used during                   We received several comments from
                                                OFFICE OF PERSONNEL                                     the established 12-month period may                   individuals suggesting changes that
                                                MANAGEMENT                                              not be carried over to subsequent years               would be contrary to the statutory
                                                                                                        and will be forfeited. By law, disabled               requirements in law. These comments
                                                5 CFR Part 630                                          veteran leave is available only to                    fell into three general categories: (1) The
                                                RIN 3206–AN31                                           covered employees who are hired (as                   requirement that the disabled veteran
                                                                                                        defined at § 630.1303) on or after                    leave benefit is applicable only to those
                                                Disabled Veteran Leave and Other                        November 5, 2016.                                     hired on or after November 5, 2016, (2)
                                                Miscellaneous Changes                                      The 30-day comment period for the                  the amount of disabled veteran leave
                                                                                                        proposed regulations ended on July 6,                 provided (up to 104 hours), and (3) the
                                                AGENCY:  Office of Personnel                            2016. We received comments from 12
                                                Management.                                                                                                   12-month period in which to use
                                                                                                        individuals, 1 agency, and 1 Federal                  disabled veteran leave (i.e., that
                                                ACTION: Final rule.                                     labor organization. This Federal                      disabled veteran leave is a one-time
                                                                                                        Register notice provides general                      entitlement rather than a recurring
                                                SUMMARY:   The Office of Personnel                      information regarding the regulation,
                                                Management is issuing final regulations                                                                       annual entitlement). Changes in these
                                                                                                        addresses the comments received, and                  three categories would require a change
                                                to implement the Wounded Warriors                       issues final regulations that reflect three
                                                Federal Leave Act of 2015, which                                                                              in law; therefore, no changes were made
                                                                                                        changes to the proposed regulations in                to the regulations based on these
                                                establishes a separate new leave                        §§ 630.1301, 630.1303, and 630.1307(b).
                                                category, to be known as ‘‘disabled                                                                           comments.
                                                veteran leave,’’ available during a 12-                 Comments on Proposed Regulations                      Required Documentation for Eligibility
                                                month period beginning on the first day                    We organized our responses to
                                                of employment to be used by an                          comments by the affected regulatory                     A labor organization provided a
                                                employee who is a veteran with a                        section number. We did not receive                    comment on a section of the
                                                service-connected disability rated at 30                comments on all regulatory sections.                  Supplementary Information of the
                                                percent or more for purposes of                         Therefore, not all sections are discussed             proposed regulations related to
                                                undergoing medical treatment for such                   within this Supplementary Information.                § 630.1304 (Eligibility) (81 FR 36189). In
                                                disability. We are also rescinding two                     We received comments expressing                    that section, we stated it is important
                                                obsolete leave-related regulations.                     general support for the new type of                   that agencies be able to identify as soon
                                                                                                        leave for disabled veterans. A Federal                as possible whether an employee is
                                                DATES: This final rule is effective on
                                                                                                        labor organization expressed that                     entitled to the benefit since the disabled
                                                November 5, 2016.
                                                                                                        ‘‘disabled veteran leave is an excellent              veteran leave is only available during
                                                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                        way to help mitigate the adverse effects              the first 12 months after the first day of
                                                Doris Rippey by telephone at (202) 606–                                                                       employment. However, we also noted
                                                2858 or by email at pay-leave-policy@                   of military service and prevent veterans
                                                                                                        from experiencing unnecessary personal                that employees have a responsibility to
                                                opm.gov.                                                                                                      provide proper documentation/
                                                                                                        hardships as they transition into the
                                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:      On June 6,              civilian workforce.’’ The labor                       certification from the Veterans Benefits
                                                2016, the Office of Personnel                           organization stated that having the new               Administration (VBA), a subcomponent
                                                Management (OPM) published proposed                     104-hour leave entitlement available                  of the Department of Veterans Affairs
                                                regulations (81 FR 36186) to add a new                  during the initial 12-month period of                 (VA) to enable agencies to make
                                                subpart M, Disabled Veteran Leave, in                   employment ‘‘will greatly contribute to               determinations about eligibility for
                                                part 630 (Absence and Leave) of title 5,                assisting veterans in making a more                   disabled veteran leave. The labor
                                                Code of Federal Regulations, and                        seamless transition to civilian duty by               organization stated that the proposed
                                                rescind two obsolete regulations. These                 affording them the flexibility they need              regulations place the burden on veteran
                                                final regulations implement the                         to undergo medical treatment.’’                       employees to provide the necessary
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES




                                                Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of                      Comments from individuals reflected                documentation upon being employed to
                                                2015 (Pub. L. 114–75, November 5,                       that veterans often have multiple                     gain access to this benefit. The labor
                                                2015) (hereafter referred to as ‘‘the                   appointments necessary to treat their                 organization stated that our proposed
                                                Act’’). The Act adds section 6329 to title              service-connected disabilities and may                regulations are silent on how employees
                                                5, United States Code, which establishes                not have sufficient accrued sick or                   will be notified of the existence of this
                                                a separate new leave category, to be                    annual leave to attend those                          benefit when they become employed
                                                known as ‘‘disabled veteran leave.’’ This               appointments. The comments expressed                  and recommended that agencies provide


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:05 Aug 04, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00001   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\05AUR1.SGM   05AUR1


                                                51776               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                                notice to veterans upon employment by                   include advanced annual leave or                      employee’s qualifying service-connected
                                                including literature on disabled veteran                advanced sick leave, alternative work                 disability. The effective date of the
                                                leave in their new hire packets.                        schedules, earned credit hours under a                disability determination is the later date
                                                Additionally, the labor organization                    flexible work schedule, and earned                    if the employee has already been hired.
                                                urged that VBA notify employees of this                 compensatory time off. Depending on an                Thus, it is possible for the 12-month
                                                benefit upon certifying their status as a               employee’s particular circumstances,                  eligibility period to begin after an
                                                veteran with a qualifying service-                      leave without pay under the Family and                employee’s hiring date. Because of
                                                connected disability. The labor                         Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or donated                   comments indicating confusion about
                                                organization acknowledged that the                      leave under the voluntary leave transfer              this matter, we are revising the
                                                regulations contain a retroactivity                     program or voluntary leave bank                       definition of first day of employment to
                                                provision at § 630.1304(c), which                       program may also be options for                       more clearly state the rule. We are also
                                                addresses delayed employee                              employees needing time away from                      making a corresponding clarification in
                                                submissions of VBA ratings; however, it                 work for the treatment of their service-              § 630.1301 (Purpose and authority),
                                                asserted that having VBA provide notice                 connected disabilities. (See also the                 which relies on the clarified definition
                                                of this new leave category would                        discussion of leave rights under                      of first day of employment.
                                                maximize the possibility of veterans                    Executive Order 5396 at the end of this                  As discussed in the Supplementary
                                                taking advantage of the statutory                       Supplementary Information.)                           Information for the proposed
                                                entitlement to disabled veteran leave                      Since the term ‘‘hired’’ is not defined            regulations, the effective date of a
                                                within the fixed 12-month eligibility                   in the statute, we define the term                    service-connected disability is generally
                                                period.                                                 ‘‘hired’’ within these regulations to be              either the day after the date of military
                                                  We agree that agencies should strive                  broader than merely an employee’s first               discharge (if the person filed a disability
                                                to make employees aware of the                          appointment with the Federal                          claim within 1 year of discharge date) or
                                                disabled veteran leave benefit. While we                Government. As discussed in the                       the date the claim was filed. Thus, a
                                                do not believe it is necessary to                       Supplementary Information of the                      delay in a determination by VBA can
                                                incorporate a formal notice requirement                 proposed regulations, although the                    prevent an employee from using
                                                in regulations, we will encourage                       legislative history of the Act indicates              disabled veteran leave during the earlier
                                                agencies through other means to educate                 that Congress was focused on the most                 portion of the 12-month eligibility
                                                and notify employees regarding the                      common scenario—addressing veterans                   period that may be retroactively
                                                disabled veteran leave benefit. We have                 with 30 percent or more service-                      established for certain employees.
                                                also informed VBA of the labor                          connected disabilities who are ‘‘new’’                However, the regulations in
                                                organization’s recommendation that it                   employees and begin their Federal                     § 630.1306(c) address this situation by
                                                notify veterans of this Federal employee                careers with zero hours of sick leave                 allowing such employees to
                                                leave benefit when it certifies that they               (see House Report 114–180 and Senate                  retroactively substitute disabled veteran
                                                have a 30 percent service-connected                     Report 114–89)—the law itself does not                leave for other leave they may have
                                                disability rating.                                      exclude those with previous Federal                   taken for covered medical treatment.
                                                                                                        civilian service.
                                                § 630.1302—Applicability and                               Therefore, we provide in these                     § 630.1304—Eligibility
                                                § 630.1303—Definitions                                  regulations that employees also will be                  We received one comment regarding
                                                   Commenters expressed that it was                     considered to have a hiring event that                the requirement in proposed
                                                ‘‘unfair’’ to provide this leave benefit                may qualify them for disabled veteran                 § 630.1304(b) that, ‘‘[i]n order to be
                                                only to veterans hired on or after                      leave (assuming they meet all other                   eligible for disabled veteran leave, an
                                                November 5, 2016, and expressed the                     eligibility requirements) if, on or after             employee must provide to the agency
                                                need for the new leave category to apply                November 5, 2016, they are (1)                        documentation from the Veterans
                                                to all veterans with a 30 percent or more               reappointed with at least a 90-day break              Benefits Administration certifying that
                                                service-connected disability rating.                    in service or (2) return to civilian duty             the employee has a qualifying service-
                                                   Section 2(c) of the Act specifically                 following a break in civilian duty (with              connected disability.’’ The commenter
                                                provides that disabled veteran leave is                 continuous civilian leave status) to                  expressed concerns about the VBA’s
                                                available to veterans with a 30 percent                 perform military service. (See definition             ability ‘‘to provide timely decisions’’
                                                or more service-connected disability                    of the term hired in § 630.1303.)                     and suggested that, in addition to the
                                                rating who are hired on or after                           One commenter expressed concern                    VBA rating, we also consider using the
                                                November 5, 2016. Thus, comments                        that some employees may wait until                    following documentation as a proof of a
                                                received regarding the application of the               after they are hired to file a claim for VA           service-connected disability rated at 30
                                                disabled veteran leave benefit only to                  disability benefits, which would ‘‘leave              percent or more: A Report of Separation
                                                those hired on or after November 5,                     little or no time to make this process                showing medically retired (30 percent)
                                                2016, are outside the scope of OPM’s                    work,’’ given the delays in the VA                    or Temporary Disability Retired List
                                                authority and regulations. OPM cannot                   process for making disability                         (TDRL) and/or a Medical Evaluation
                                                prescribe regulations that are contrary to              determinations.                                       Board (MEB)/Physical Evaluation Board
                                                statutory requirements.                                    This comment appeared to reflect a                 (PEB) evaluation from the service
                                                   While current Federal employees who                  misunderstanding of when the 12-                      department concerned.
                                                were hired before November 5, 2016, are                 month eligibility period begins. The 12-                 The commenter also expressed
                                                not eligible for disabled veteran leave,                month eligibility period begins on the                concerns that ‘‘while many veterans will
                                                the Federal Government offers a wide                    first day of employment, which is                     seamlessly transition from active duty to
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES




                                                range of leave options and workplace                    defined to mean the later of (1) the date             VA care, there will be those who do not
                                                flexibilities available to assist                       the employee is first hired (in qualifying            immediately file a claim with VBA.’’
                                                employees who need to be away from                      employment) or (2) the effective date of              The commenter stated that ‘‘for those
                                                the workplace, including veterans who                   the employee’s qualifying service-                    who wait to file until after they are
                                                must take time off from work to receive                 connected disability. The hiring date is              hired there may be little or no time to
                                                medical treatment for their service-                    the later date when an employee is                    make this process work,’’ and ‘‘[i]f the
                                                connected disabilities. These options                   hired after the effective date of the                 veteran does not have the decision in


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:05 Aug 04, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00002   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\05AUR1.SGM   05AUR1


                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                       51777

                                                hand when hired, the veteran has no                        While the disability may have existed              the commenter’s assumption, disabled
                                                ability to push the process within the                  as the employee awaited the VBA                       veteran leave is granted for an
                                                first year and only a limited ability for               determination, the Act provides that                  individualized 12-month eligibility
                                                after the fact adjustments.’’ The same                  disabled veteran leave may be provided                period, not on a calendar year or leave
                                                commenter mentioned that there are                      only to an employee who actually has                  year basis.
                                                other problematic issues that can delay                 a service-connected disability rating of                 Another commenter also
                                                a rating from VBA.                                      30 percent or more in effect. VBA                     recommended that the benefit be
                                                   The Act requires a formal finding by                 provides disability ratings to veterans in            provided on an annual basis if the
                                                VA under title 38 that an employee is                   order to determine compensation                       employee has a need for it and if the
                                                a veteran with a service-connected                      benefits related to the veteran’s service-            employee continues to have the service-
                                                disability rated at 30 percent or more.                 connected disability.                                 connected disability.
                                                (The Act relies on the title 38                            In the example scenario, the employee                 A third commenter stated that 104
                                                definitions of terms ‘‘veteran’’ and                    was retroactively determined to be                    hours was not enough time to cover the
                                                ‘‘service-connected.’’ Only VA issues                   eligible for disabled veteran leave                   various medical appointments veterans
                                                service-connected disability ratings to                 starting on March 4, 2017; however, the               with service-connected disabilities rated
                                                veterans under title 38.) The regulations               determination was not made until June                 at 30 percent or more have. The
                                                already provide that a temporary                        5, 2017. Thus, the employee was not                   commenter also stated that the location
                                                disability rating by VA under 38 U.S.C.                 allowed to use disabled veteran leave                 and operating hours of VA medical
                                                1156 is considered a valid rating as long               during the March 4–June 4 period;                     centers should have been taken into
                                                as it is in effect. (See definition of the              however, as provided by § 630.1306(c),                account when determining the amount
                                                term qualifying service-connected                       the agency must allow the employee to                 of hours of disabled veteran leave to
                                                disability in § 630.1303.) Accordingly,                 substitute disabled veteran leave                     provide to an employee. The commenter
                                                we are not making any changes to the                    retroactively for a qualifying period of              suggested that VA medical
                                                regulations in response to the                          absence during the March 4–June 4                     appointments should be authorized as
                                                commenter’s suggestions to use other                    period (including leave without pay,                  ‘‘company time.’’ The commenter did
                                                forms of documentation as a basis for                   sick leave, annual leave, compensatory                not feel he should have to supplement
                                                providing disabled veteran leave. As                    time off, or other paid time off, but                 disabled veteran leave by using his own
                                                already noted, in the event that VA                     excluding periods of suspension or
                                                                                                                                                              accrued sick leave to attend VA medical
                                                                                                        absence without leave (AWOL)).
                                                delays prevent an employee from using                                                                         appointments.
                                                disabled veteran leave during a portion                 § 630.1305—Crediting Disabled Veteran                    The comments received regarding the
                                                of the 12-month eligibility period, the                 Leave                                                 amount of leave to credit under the new
                                                regulations allow the employee to                          We received three comments                         leave category and how often this leave
                                                retroactively substitute disabled veteran               regarding the crediting of 104 hours of               is made available are outside the scope
                                                leave for other leave used for attending                disabled veteran leave on a one-time                  of OPM’s authority and regulations;
                                                medical treatment of the qualifying                     basis. One commenter thought 104                      therefore, no changes were made to the
                                                service connected-disability. (See                      hours was too much and recommended                    regulations based on these comments.
                                                § 630.1306(c).)                                         the regulations be changed to provide a               Under section 6329(b)(1), the amount of
                                                   For example, assume a veteran is                     maximum of 80 hours. The commenter                    disabled leave credited to an employee
                                                discharged from the military in July                    also suggested that those 80 hours be                 may not exceed 104 hours. The Act
                                                2014 and is hired to fill a qualifying                  provided on an annual basis and                       provides a one-time benefit of up to 104
                                                Federal civilian position on December 1,                recommended changing the effective                    hours of disabled veteran leave to an
                                                2016, but has not filed a claim for                     date from November 5, 2016, to January                eligible veteran to be used during the12-
                                                veteran disability benefits. The agency                 1, 2017, to avoid providing the leave                 month period beginning on the first day
                                                cannot credit the employee with the                     benefit twice to an employee in a short               of employment.
                                                disabled veteran leave at the time of hire              amount of time.                                       § 630.1306—Requesting and Using
                                                because the employee’s eligibility for                     This comment is misdirected, as it                 Disabled Veteran Leave
                                                the benefit has not been established by                 appears that the commenter believes
                                                VA. Subsequently, on March 4, 2017,                     that disabled veteran leave is provided                  One commenter expressed concern
                                                the employee files a claim and on June                  to qualified employees on a recurring                 that the retroactive substitution
                                                5, 2017, VBA issues a decision that the                 annual basis. As the law clearly                      provisions at § 630.1306(c) are too
                                                employee has a service-connected                        provides—and as stated in the proposed                complex. These provisions allow an
                                                disability rating of 30 percent. In this                and final regulations—employees who                   employee to substitute disabled veteran
                                                case, the disability rating is effective on             otherwise qualify are provided disabled               leave retroactively for other leave or
                                                the date the employee filed the claim,                  veteran leave only once during their                  paid time off used for the medical
                                                March 4, 2017. After the employee                       Federal careers. The intent of the Act is             treatment of a qualifying service-
                                                provides the employing agency with                      to allow qualifying veterans access to                connected disability during the
                                                documentation, the agency establishes                   this special category of leave during a               employee’s established 12-month
                                                March 4, 2017, as the ‘‘first day of                    single 12-month eligibility period that               eligibility.
                                                employment’’ (as a veteran with a                       commences on the employee’s ‘‘first day                  We disagree and do not view these
                                                service-connected disability of 30                      of employment.’’ The focus of Congress                provisions as too complex to
                                                percent or more) and as the beginning                   was to address the problem of new                     implement. In addition, the provisions
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES




                                                date of the employee’s 12-month                         Federal employees who have a zero                     allowing for retroactive substitution are
                                                eligibility period, and credits the                     balance of sick leave when initially                  necessary to assist employees who have
                                                employee with disabled veteran leave.                   appointed. In subsequent years,                       not yet received their disability
                                                The employee will have a 12-month                       employees can use accrued sick and                    determination rating of 30 percent or
                                                period starting on March 4, 2017, and                   annual leave balances to receive                      more from the VBA. Therefore, we are
                                                ending on March 3, 2018, in which to                    medical treatment for their service-                  not adopting any changes to this portion
                                                use the leave.                                          connected disabilities. Also, contrary to             of the rule.


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:05 Aug 04, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00003   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\05AUR1.SGM   05AUR1


                                                51778               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                                § 630.1307—Medical Certification                        regulations. We recognize there may be                leave law are two separate entitlements.
                                                   We received one agency comment                       circumstances in which the employee                   OPM is authorized to issue regulations
                                                regarding this section. The agency                      cannot provide the requested                          on disabled veteran leave under section
                                                recommended that, in the final rule,                    documentation within this prescribed                  2(d) of Public Law 114–75. OPM has no
                                                § 630.1307(b)(1) be changed from ‘‘A                    time period; therefore, we provide a                  authority to issue regulations regarding
                                                statement by the health care provider                   limited extended time period for the                  E.O. 5396. These disabled veteran leave
                                                that the medical treatment is for one or                employee. The employee should make                    regulations do not change an employee’s
                                                more service-connected disabilities of                  every effort to meet the initial 15                   entitlement under E.O. 5396 to use
                                                the employee rated at 30 percent or                     calendar days. However, if more time is               annual leave, sick leave, or leave
                                                                                                        needed by the employee, the agency                    without pay for medical treatment of the
                                                more’’ to read as ‘‘A statement by the
                                                                                                        should allow for additional days. The                 employee’s service-connected disability.
                                                health care provider that the medical
                                                                                                        employee bears the responsibility for                   The commenter was also concerned
                                                treatment is for one or more service-
                                                                                                        the required medical certification, and               that the term AWOL (absent without
                                                connected disabilities of the employee
                                                                                                        part of his or her effort should be                   leave) was mentioned several times
                                                that resulted in 30 percent or more
                                                                                                        periodic updates to the agency on the                 within the proposed rule and expressed
                                                disability rating’’ or other similar
                                                                                                        status of the required medical                        concerns that ‘‘management would be
                                                statement. The agency stated that the
                                                                                                        certification. The employee must                      quick to build up reasons to fire an
                                                proposed section could be interpreted to
                                                                                                        provide the required medical                          individual.’’
                                                mean that only individual disabilities
                                                                                                        certification no later than 30 days after               The regulations include two
                                                rated at 30% or higher are eligible when                the agency’s initial request for such                 references to AWOL. The first reference
                                                in reality the leave may be used for any                documentation.                                        to AWOL in the proposed rule simply
                                                of the disabilities listed in the veteran’s                Analogous language regarding an                    states that disabled veteran leave cannot
                                                disability rating determination that were               employee’s ‘‘diligent, good faith efforts’’           be applied retroactively to time charged
                                                combined to reach a total disability                    is also included in the medical                       as AWOL, but may be applied
                                                rating of 30 percent or more. The agency                certification provisions of both the sick             retroactively to time initially charged as
                                                acknowledges that the intent of this                    leave regulations at § 630.405(b) and the             leave without pay (LWOP). The second
                                                section is covered elsewhere in the                     Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)                   instance permits an employee to be
                                                proposed rule, but expressed concern                    regulations at § 630.1208(h). We                      charged as AWOL if he or she fails to
                                                that this particular verbiage could be                  included parallel provisions in these                 produce the medical documentation
                                                misunderstood.                                          regulations, so that agencies have one                required by the agency. See § 630.1306
                                                   We agree with the comment and are                    standard to administer regarding the                  and 630.1307. We have no reason to
                                                adopting the recommended language for                   timeframes for employees to provide                   believe agencies will abuse this
                                                § 630.1307(b)(1) in the final rule.                     supporting medical documentation to                   authority. Therefore, no change was
                                                   The same agency also commented on                    them. Additionally, we have not had                   made to the regulations based on this
                                                the proposed language regarding the                     any feedback from agencies expressing                 comment.
                                                time limits within which an employee                    any difficulty in administering the sick
                                                must provide any required written                       leave and FMLA provisions based upon                  Executive Order 13563 and Executive
                                                medical certification to the agency after               the ‘‘diligent, good faith efforts’’                  Order 12866
                                                the agency requests it. In                              language included under those                           The Office of Management and Budget
                                                § 630.1307(c)(1) of the proposed rule,                  regulations.                                          has reviewed this rule in accordance
                                                the employee must provide the                                                                                 with E.O. 13563 and 12866.
                                                requested medical certification no later                Miscellaneous Comment(s)
                                                than 15 calendar days after the date the                   We received one comment regarding                  Regulatory Flexibility Act
                                                agency requests it.                                     Executive Order (E.O.) 5396 issued on                    I certify that this regulation will not
                                                   However, § 630.1307(c)(2) provides                   July 17, 1930. E.O. 5396 provides a basic             have a significant economic impact on
                                                that if it is not practicable under the                 entitlement for any veteran to use                    a substantial number of small entities
                                                particular circumstances to provide the                 annual leave, sick leave, or leave                    because it will apply only to Federal
                                                requested medical certification within                  without pay when absent from work for                 agencies and employees.
                                                15 calendar days after the date                         medical treatment of a service-
                                                requested by the agency despite the                     connected disability (regardless of the               List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 630
                                                employee’s diligent, good faith efforts,                disability rating). The commenter                       Government employees.
                                                the employee must provide the medical                   questioned why E.O. 5396 is not                         Office of Personnel Management.
                                                certification within a reasonable period                mentioned in the proposed rule. The                   Beth F. Cobert,
                                                of time under the circumstances                         commenter stated that ‘‘the will of
                                                                                                                                                              Acting Director.
                                                involved, but no later than 30 calendar                 Congress was to expand the intent of the
                                                days after the date the agency requests                 E.O. by actually paying the disabled Vet                Accordingly, OPM is amending part
                                                such documentation.                                     for some of the leave without pay                     630 of title 5 of the Code of Federal
                                                   The agency recommended removing                      (LWOP) that they were granted in the                  Regulations as follows:
                                                the phrase ‘‘diligent, good faith effort’’              1930 E.O. and that this E.O. is still in
                                                from the final regulations stating that                 effect.’’ The commenter further                       PART 630—ABSENCE AND LEAVE
                                                ‘‘good faith’’ is not further clarified or              recommended that the final rule provide               ■ 1. Revise the authority citation for part
                                                defined in the proposed rule and                        that E.O. 5396 be the first choice after              630 to read as follows:
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES




                                                agencies will have difficulty defending                 disabled veteran leave has been
                                                determinations that an employee did                                                                              Authority: 5 U.S.C. 6311; § 630.205 also
                                                                                                        exhausted.
                                                                                                                                                              issued under Pub. L. 108–411, 118 Stat 2312;
                                                not meet ‘‘diligent and good faith                         While we agree that E.O. 5396 is still             § 630.301 also issued under Pub. L. 103–356,
                                                efforts.’’                                              in effect and valid, we did not mention               108 Stat. 3410 and Pub. L. 108–411, 118 Stat
                                                   While we understand the                              it in the proposed rule because the                   2312; § 630.303 also issued under 5 U.S.C.
                                                commenter’s concerns, we are not                        rights provided by the Executive order                6133(a); §§ 630.306 and 630.308 also issued
                                                adopting a change to the final                          and benefits under the disabled veteran               under 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(3), Pub. L. 102–484,



                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:05 Aug 04, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00004   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\05AUR1.SGM   05AUR1


                                                                      Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                         51779

                                                106 Stat. 2722, and Pub. L. 103–337, 108 Stat.               12-month eligibility period means the              followed a break in civilian duty (with
                                                2663; subpart D also issued under Pub. L.                 continuous 12-month period that begins                the employee in continuous civilian
                                                103–329, 108 Stat. 2423; § 630.501 and                    on the first day of employment. For an                leave status) to perform military service.
                                                subpart F also issued under E.O. 11228, 30                employee who was eligible (or later                      Medical certificate means a written
                                                FR 7739, 3 CFR, 1974 Comp., p. 163; subpart
                                                                                                          determined to have been eligible) for                 statement signed by a health care
                                                G also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6305; subpart
                                                H also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6326; subpart                disabled veteran leave as an employee                 provider certifying to the treatment of a
                                                I also issued under 5 U.S.C. 6332, Pub. L.                of the United States Postal Service or                veteran’s qualifying service-connected
                                                100–566, 102 Stat. 2834, and Pub. L. 103–                 the Postal Regulatory Commission and                  disability.
                                                103, 107 Stat. 1022; subpart J also issued                who subsequently commences                               Medical treatment means any activity
                                                under 5 U.S.C. 6362, Pub. L 100–566, and                  employment covered by this subpart,                   carried out or prescribed by a health
                                                Pub. L. 103–103; subpart K also issued under              the 12-month eligibility period is the                care provider to treat a veteran’s
                                                Pub. L. 105–18, 111 Stat. 158; subpart L also             period that began on the first day of                 qualifying service-connected disability.
                                                issued under 5 U.S.C. 6387 and Pub. L. 103–               employment with the United States                        Military service means ‘‘active
                                                3, 107 Stat. 23; and subpart M also issued                                                                      military, naval, or air service’’ as that
                                                under section 2(d) of Pub. L. 114–75, 129
                                                                                                          Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory
                                                                                                          Commission (as determined under                       term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(24).
                                                Stat. 640.
                                                                                                          regulations issued by the Postmaster                     Qualifying reappointment means an
                                                § 630.310    [Removed and Reserved]                       General to implement 5 U.S.C. 6329).                  appointment of a former employee of
                                                                                                             Agency means an agency of the                      the Federal Government following a
                                                ■   2. Remove and reserve § 630.310.
                                                                                                          Federal Government. In the case of an                 break in employment of at least 90
                                                ■   3. Revise subpart M to read as follows:                                                                     calendar days.
                                                                                                          agency in the Executive branch, it
                                                Subpart M—Disabled Veteran Leave                          means an Executive agency as defined                     Qualifying service-connected
                                                Sec.                                                      in 5 U.S.C. 105. When the term                        disability means a veteran’s service-
                                                630.1301 Purpose and authority.                           ‘‘agency’’ is used in the context of an               connected disability rated at 30 percent
                                                630.1302 Applicability.                                   agency making determinations or taking                or more by the Veteran Benefits
                                                630.1303 Definitions.                                     actions, it means management officials                Administration, including a combined
                                                630.1304 Eligibility.                                     of the agency who are authorized by the               degree of disability of 30 percent or
                                                630.1305 Crediting disabled veteran leave.                agency head to make the given                         more that reflects the combined effect of
                                                630.1306 Requesting and using disabled                                                                          multiple individual disabilities, which
                                                     veteran leave.
                                                                                                          determination or take the given action.
                                                                                                             Employee has the meaning given that                resulted in the award of disability
                                                630.1307 Medical certification.
                                                630.1308 Disabled veteran leave forfeiture,               term in 5 U.S.C. 2105.                                compensation under title 38, United
                                                     transfer, reinstatement.                                Employment means service as an                     States Code. A temporary disability
                                                                                                          employee during which the employee is                 rating under 38 U.S.C. 1156 is
                                                Subpart M—Disabled Veteran Leave                          covered by a leave system under which                 considered a valid rating in applying
                                                                                                          leave is charged for periods of absence.              this definition for as long as it is in
                                                § 630.1301       Purpose and authority.                   This excludes service in a position in                effect.
                                                  This subpart implements 5 U.S.C.                        which the employee is not covered by                     Service-connected has the meaning
                                                6329, which establishes a leave                           5 U.S.C. 6329 due to application of                   given such term in 38 U.S.C. 101(16).
                                                category, to be known as ‘‘disabled                       another statutory authority.                             Veteran has the meaning given such
                                                veteran leave,’’ for an eligible employee                    First day of employment means the                  term in 38 U.S.C. 101(2).
                                                who is a veteran with a service-                          first day of service that qualifies as                   Veterans Benefits Administration
                                                connected disability rated at 30 percent                  employment that occurs on the later                   means the Veterans Benefits
                                                or more. Such an employee is entitled                     of—                                                   Administration of the Department of
                                                to this leave for purposes of undergoing                     (1) The earliest date an employee is               Veterans Affairs.
                                                medical treatment for such disability.                    hired after the effective date of the
                                                                                                                                                                § 630.1304   Eligibility.
                                                Disabled veteran leave must be used                       employee’s qualifying service-connected
                                                during the 12-month period beginning                      disability, as determined by the                         (a) An employee who is a veteran
                                                on the first day of employment. OPM’s                     Veterans Benefits Administration; or                  with a qualifying service-connected
                                                authority to regulate section 6329 is                        (2) The effective date of the                      disability is entitled to disabled veteran
                                                found in section 2(d) of Public Law                       employee’s qualifying service-connected               leave under this subpart, which will be
                                                114–75.                                                   disability, as determined by the                      available for use during the 12-month
                                                                                                          Veterans Benefits Administration.                     eligibility period beginning on the first
                                                § 630.1302       Applicability.                              Health care provider has the meaning               day of employment. For each employee,
                                                  This subpart applies to an employee                     given that term in § 630.1202.                        there is a single first day of
                                                who is a veteran with a service-                             Hired means the action of—                         employment.
                                                connected disability rated at 30 percent                     (1) Receiving an initial appointment                  (b) In order to be eligible for disabled
                                                or more, subject to the conditions                        to a civilian position in the Federal                 veteran leave, an employee must
                                                specified in this subpart. This subpart                   Government in which the service                       provide to the agency documentation
                                                does not apply to employees of the                        qualifies as employment under this                    from the Veterans Benefits
                                                United States Postal Service or the                       subpart;                                              Administration certifying that the
                                                Postal Regulatory Commission who are                         (2) Receiving a qualifying                         employee has a qualifying service-
                                                subject to regulations issued by the                      reappointment to a civilian position in               connected disability. The
                                                Postmaster General under section                          the Federal Government in which the                   documentation should be provided to
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES




                                                2(d)(2) of Public Law 114–75. This                        service qualifies as employment under                 the agency—
                                                subpart applies only to an employee                       this subpart; or                                         (1) Upon the first day of employment,
                                                who is hired on or after November 5,                         (3) Returning to duty status in a                  if the employee has already received
                                                2016.                                                     civilian position in the Federal                      such certifying documentation; or
                                                                                                          Government in which the service                          (2) For an employee who has not yet
                                                § 630.1303       Definitions.                             qualifies as employment under this                    received such certifying documentation
                                                    In this subpart:                                      subpart, when such return immediately                 from the Veterans Benefit


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014     16:05 Aug 04, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00005   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\05AUR1.SGM   05AUR1


                                                51780                 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                                Administration, as soon as practicable                       (c) When an employee is converted to               § 630.1306 Requesting and using disabled
                                                after the employee receives the                           a different tour of duty for leave                    veteran leave.
                                                certifying documentation.                                 purposes, the employee’s balance of                      (a) An employee may use disabled
                                                   (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of                   unused disabled veteran leave must be                 veteran leave only for the medical
                                                this section, an employee may submit                      converted to the proper number of hours               treatment of a qualifying service-
                                                certifying documentation at a later time,                 based on the proportion of hours in the               connected disability. The medical
                                                including after a period of absence for                   new tour of duty compared to the                      treatment may include a period of rest,
                                                medical treatment, as described in                        former tour of duty. For seasonal                     but only if such period of rest is
                                                § 630.1306(c). The 12-month eligibility                   employees, hours must be annualized in                specifically ordered by the health care
                                                period is fixed based on the first day of                 determining the proportion.                           provider as part of a prescribed course
                                                employment and is not affected by the                        (d) The amount of disabled veteran                 of treatment for the qualifying service-
                                                timing of when certifying                                 leave initially credited to an employee               connected disability.
                                                documentation is provided.                                under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this                     (b)(1) An employee must file an
                                                   (d) If an employee’s service-connected                 section must be offset by the number of               application—written, oral, or electronic,
                                                disability rating is decreased or                         hours of sick leave an employee has                   as required by the agency—to use
                                                discontinued during the 12-month                          credited to his or her account as of the              disabled veteran leave. The application
                                                eligibility period such that the employee                 first day of employment. For example, if              must include a personal self-
                                                no longer has a qualifying service-                       an employee is being reappointed and                  certification by the employee that the
                                                connected disability—                                     having sick leave recredited upon such                requested leave will be (or was) used for
                                                                                                          reappointment, the amount of disabled                 purposes of being furnished medical
                                                   (1) The employee must notify the
                                                                                                          veteran leave must be reduced by the                  treatment for a qualifying service-
                                                agency of the effective date of the
                                                                                                          amount of such recredited sick leave.                 connected disability. The application
                                                change in the disability rating; and
                                                                                                          Similarly, if an employee is returning to             must also include the specific days and
                                                   (2) The employee is no longer eligible                                                                       hours of absence required for the
                                                for disabled veteran leave as of the                      civilian duty status after a period of
                                                                                                          leave for military service, that employee             treatment. The application must be
                                                effective date of the rating change.                                                                            submitted within such time limits as the
                                                                                                          may have a balance of sick leave, which
                                                § 630.1305       Crediting disabled veteran               must be used to offset the disabled                   agency may require.
                                                leave.                                                                                                             (2) An employee must request
                                                                                                          veteran leave.
                                                                                                                                                                approval to use disabled veteran leave
                                                   (a) Upon receipt of the certifying                        (e)(1) An employee who was                         in advance unless the need for leave is
                                                documentation under § 630.1304, an                        previously employed by an agency                      critical and not foreseeable—e.g., due to
                                                agency must credit 104 hours of                           whose employees were not subject to 5                 a medical emergency or the unexpected
                                                disabled veteran leave to a full-time,                    U.S.C. 6329 must certify, at the time the             availability of an appointment for
                                                nonseasonal employee or a                                 employee is hired in a position subject               surgery or other critical treatment. The
                                                proportionally equivalent amount for                      to 5 U.S.C. 6329, whether or not that                 employee must provide notice within a
                                                employees with part-time, seasonal, or                    former agency provided entitlement to                 reasonable period of time appropriate to
                                                uncommon tours of duty, except as                         an equivalent disabled veteran leave                  the circumstances involved. If the
                                                otherwise provided in this section.                       benefit to be used in connection with                 agency determines that the need for
                                                   (b) The proportional equivalent of 104                 the medical treatment of a service-                   leave is critical and not foreseeable and
                                                hours for a full-time employee is                         connected disability rated at 30 percent              that the employee is unable to provide
                                                determined for employees with other                       or more. The employee must certify the                advance notice of his or her need for
                                                schedules as follows:                                     date he or she commenced the period of                leave, the leave may not be delayed or
                                                   (1) For an employee with a part-time                   eligibility to use disabled veteran leave             denied.
                                                work schedule, the 104 hours is                           in the former agency.                                    (c)(1) When an employee did not
                                                prorated based on the number of hours                        (2) If 12 months have elapsed since                provide the agency with certification of
                                                in the part-time schedule (as established                 the commencing date referenced in                     a qualifying service-connected disability
                                                for leave charging purposes) relative to                  paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the                 before having a period of absence for
                                                a full-time schedule (e.g., 52 hours for                  employee will be considered to have                   treatment of such disability, the
                                                a half-time schedule);                                    received the full amount of an                        employee is entitled to substitute
                                                   (2) For an employee with a seasonal                    equivalent benefit and no benefit may                 approved disabled veteran leave
                                                work schedule, the 104 hours is                           be provided under this subpart.                       retroactively for such period of absence
                                                prorated based on the total projected                        (3) If the employee is still within the            (excluding periods of suspension or
                                                hours to be worked in an annual period                    12-month period that began on the                     absence without leave (AWOL), but
                                                of 52 weeks (based on the seasonal                        commencing date referenced in                         including leave without pay, sick leave,
                                                employee’s seasonal work periods and                      paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the                 annual leave, compensatory time off, or
                                                full-time or part-time schedule during                    employee must certify the number of                   other paid time off) in the 12-month
                                                those periods) relative to a full-time                    hours of disabled veteran leave used at               eligibility period. Such retroactive
                                                work year of 2,080 hours (e.g., 52 hours                  the former agency. The gaining agency                 substitution cancels the use of the
                                                for a seasonal employee who works full-                   must offset the number of hours of                    original leave or paid time off and
                                                time for half a year); and                                disabled veteran leave to be credited to              requires appropriate adjustments. In the
                                                   (3) For an employee with an                            the employee by the number of such                    case of retroactive substitution for a
                                                uncommon tour of duty (as defined in                      hours used by the employee at such                    period when an employee used
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES




                                                § 630.201 and described in § 630.210),                    agency, while making no offset under                  advanced annual leave or advanced sick
                                                104 hours is proportionally increased                     paragraph (d) of this section. If the                 leave, the adjustment is a liquidation of
                                                based on the number of hours in the                       employee had a different type of work                 the leave indebtedness covered by the
                                                uncommon tour relative to the hours in                    schedule at the former agency, the hours              substitution.
                                                a regular full-time tour (e.g., 187 hours                 used at the former agency must be                        (2) An agency may require an
                                                for an employee with a 72-hour weekly                     converted before applying the offset,                 employee to submit the medical
                                                uncommon tour of duty.)                                   consistent with § 630.1305(c).                        certification described in § 630.1307(a)


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014     16:05 Aug 04, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00006   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\05AUR1.SGM   05AUR1


                                                                      Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                              51781

                                                before approving such retroactive                         § 630.1308 Disabled veteran leave                     documentation available to the
                                                substitution.                                             forfeiture, transfer, reinstatement.                  employing agency in its official
                                                                                                             (a) Disabled veteran leave not used                personnel records concerning the
                                                § 630.1307       Medical certification.                   during the 12-month eligibility period                employee, the official records of the
                                                   (a) In addition to the employee’s self-                may not be carried over to subsequent                 employee’s former employing agency,
                                                certification required under                              years and must be forfeited.                          copies of contemporaneous earnings
                                                § 630.1306(b)(1), an agency may                              (b) If a change in the employee’s                  and leave statement(s) provided by the
                                                additionally require that the use of                      disability rating during the 12-month                 employee, or copies of other
                                                disabled veteran leave be supported by                    eligibility period causes the employee to             contemporaneous written
                                                a signed written medical certification                    no longer have a qualifying service-                  documentation acceptable to the agency.
                                                issued by a health care provider.                         connected disability (as described in                   (e) An employee may not receive a
                                                   (b) When an agency requires a signed                   § 630.1304(d)), any unused disabled                   lump-sum payment for any unused
                                                written medical certification by a health                 veteran leave to the employee’s credit as             disabled veteran leave under any
                                                care provider, the agency may specify                     of the effective date of the rating change            circumstance.
                                                that the certification include—                           must be forfeited.                                    [FR Doc. 2016–18516 Filed 8–4–16; 8:45 am]
                                                   (1) A statement by the health care                        (c) When an employee with a positive
                                                                                                                                                                BILLING CODE 6325–39–P
                                                provider that the medical treatment is                    disabled veteran leave balance transfers
                                                for one or more service-connected                         between positions in different agencies,
                                                disabilities of the employee that                         or transfers from the United States
                                                                                                          Postal Service or Postal Regulatory                   DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
                                                resulted in 30 percent or more disability
                                                rating;                                                   Commission to a position in another
                                                                                                          agency, during the 12-month eligibility               Agricultural Marketing Service
                                                   (2) The date or dates of treatment or,
                                                if the treatment extends over several                     period, the agency from which the
                                                                                                          employee transfers must certify the                   7 CFR Part 1205
                                                days, the beginning and ending dates of
                                                the treatment;                                            number of unused disabled veteran                     [Doc. #AMS–CN–16–0012]
                                                                                                          leave hours available for credit by the
                                                   (3) If the leave was not requested in                                                                        Cotton Board Rules and Regulations:
                                                                                                          gaining agency. The losing agency must
                                                advance, a statement that the treatment                                                                         Adjusting Supplemental Assessment
                                                                                                          also certify the expiration date of the
                                                required was of an urgent nature or                                                                             on Imports (2016 Amendments)
                                                                                                          employee’s 12-month eligibility period
                                                there were other circumstances that
                                                                                                          to the gaining agency. Any unused                     AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,
                                                made advanced scheduling not possible;
                                                                                                          disabled veteran leave will be forfeited              USDA.
                                                and
                                                                                                          at the end of that eligibility period. For
                                                   (4) Any additional information that is                 the purpose of this paragraph, the term               ACTION: Direct final rule.
                                                essential to verify the employee’s                        ‘‘transfers’’ means movement from a
                                                eligibility.                                                                                                    SUMMARY:   The Agricultural Marketing
                                                                                                          position in one agency (or the United                 Service (AMS) is amending the Cotton
                                                   (c)(1) An employee must provide any                    States Postal Service or Postal
                                                required written medical certification                                                                          Board Rules and Regulations, decreasing
                                                                                                          Regulatory Commission) to a position in               the value assigned to imported cotton
                                                no later than 15 calendar days after the                  another agency without a break in
                                                date the agency requests such medical                                                                           for the purposes of calculating
                                                                                                          employment of 1 workday or more in                    supplemental assessments collected for
                                                certification, except as otherwise                        circumstances where service in both
                                                allowed under paragraph (c)(2) of this                                                                          use by the Cotton Research and
                                                                                                          positions qualifies as employment                     Promotion Program. This amendment is
                                                section.                                                  under this subpart.
                                                   (2) If the agency determines it is not                                                                       required each year to ensure that
                                                                                                             (d)(1) An employee covered by this                 assessments collected on imported
                                                practicable under the particular                          subpart, or an employee of the United
                                                circumstances for the employee to                                                                               cotton and the cotton content of
                                                                                                          States Postal Service or Postal                       imported products will be the same as
                                                provide the requested medical                             Regulatory Commission, with a balance
                                                certification within 15 calendar days                                                                           those paid on domestically produced
                                                                                                          of unused disabled veteran leave who                  cotton.
                                                after the date requested by the agency                    has a break in employment of at least 1
                                                despite the employee’s diligent, good                     workday during the employee’s 12-                     DATES: This direct rule is effective
                                                faith efforts, the employee must provide                  month eligibility period, and later                   October 4, 2016, without further action
                                                the medical certification within a                        recommences employment covered by 5                   or notice, unless significant adverse
                                                reasonable period of time under the                       U.S.C. 6329 within that same eligibility              comment is received by September 6,
                                                circumstances involved, but no later                      period, is entitled to a recredit of the              2016. If significant adverse comment is
                                                than 30 calendar days after the date the                  unused balance.                                       received, AMS will publish a timely
                                                agency requests such documentation.                          (2) When an employee has a break in                withdrawal of the amendment in the
                                                   (3) An employee who does not                           employment as described in paragraph                  Federal Register.
                                                provide the required evidence or                          (d)(1) of this section, the losing agency             ADDRESSES: Written comments may be
                                                medical certification within the                          must certify the number of unused                     submitted to the addresses specified
                                                specified time period is not entitled to                  disabled veteran leave hours available                below. All comments will be made
                                                use disabled veteran leave, and the                       for recredit by the gaining agency. The               available to the public. Please do not
                                                agency may, as appropriate and                            losing agency must also certify the                   include personally identifiable
                                                consistent with applicable laws and                       expiration date of the employee’s 12-                 information (such as name, address, or
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES




                                                regulations—                                              month eligibility period. Any unused                  other contact information) or
                                                   (i) Charge the employee as absent                      disabled veteran leave must be forfeited              confidential business information that
                                                without leave (AWOL); or                                  at the end of that eligibility period.                you do not want publically disclosed.
                                                   (ii) Allow the employee to request                        (3) In the absence of the certification            All comments may be posted on the
                                                that the absence be charged to leave                      described in paragraph (d)(2) of this                 Internet and can be retrieved by most
                                                without pay, sick leave, annual leave, or                 section, the recredit of disabled veteran             Internet search engines. Comments may
                                                other forms of paid time off.                             leave may also be supported by written                be submitted anonymously.


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014     16:05 Aug 04, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00007   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\05AUR1.SGM   05AUR1



Document Created: 2016-08-05 06:43:22
Document Modified: 2016-08-05 06:43:22
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesThis final rule is effective on November 5, 2016.
ContactDoris Rippey by telephone at (202) 606-2858 or by email at [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 51775 
RIN Number3206-AN31

2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR