FOSCEP Brothers and Sisters,
Please read the note below forwarded to us by OA regarding excess annual leave:
Commonwealth employees represented by your organization have the ability to carry-over unused Annual Leave from year-to-year subject to a defined maximum outlined in your collective bargaining agreement (CBA)/memorandum of understanding (MOU).
If an employee is unable to utilize such excess leave by the end of the year, they are automatically granted an extension of seven (7) pay periods into the next year to utilize such excess leave. The current deadlines associated with this seven (7) pay period extension are approaching on April 10 or 17, 2020, depending upon which pay cycle an employee is assigned to.
In recognition of the fact that the current state-of-emergency related to the coronavirus pandemic will deprive many employees of the normal opportunities to schedule and use such excess leave, the Commonwealth is cancelling the April 10 and April 17, 2020 deadlines which will effectively allow employees to continue carrying their excess Annual Leave further into the present year.
The cancellation of this deadline is a temporary measure that the Commonwealth has deemed necessary in light of the aforementioned pandemic crisis. Once the current state-of-emergency has passed, the Commonwealth will reinstate a new deadline with sixty (60) days’ notice to yourself and the effected employees you represent.
This notice will provide employees with additional time to utilize any excess leave they may still have in their quotas, and otherwise allow them to make informed decisions about their leave usage. Inasmuch as the rescission of this deadline may impact employee decision-making regarding both leave usage and retirement planning, it was important to communicate this action as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, please contact your local FOSCEP representative. Thank you and stay safe!