Need Time Off for Religious Holidays in 2019? Know Your Responsibilities

As summer time-off requests come to an end, it’s time to start thinking about your religious observances and any time off you may need in the coming months. Previous Office of Personnel Management regulations concerning religious compensatory time rules and procedures were thought by many HR professionals to be vague, resulting in inconsistencies amongst agencies. This past spring, OPM issued its long awaited final regulations to clarify provisions concerning religious compensatory time, allowing employees to accrue and use compensatory time for religious purposes. According to OPM, this benefit “support[s] the President’s Management Agenda by clarifying the rules…that in turn help agencies to become careful stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

Under the new rule, employees who request time off for religious reasons will have 13 pay periods before or after the scheduled time off to make up the missed time. The final rule clarifies positions on:

Employee and Agency Responsibilities,
Scheduling Time to Earn and Use Religious Compensatory Time Off,
Accumulation and Documentation,
Employee Separation or Transfer, and
Transitional Provisions.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the new rules and your responsibilities. Talk with your HR representative or contact Jennifer Melvin at (202) 606-2858 or by email at pay-leave-policy@opm.gov with any questions.

Note: FAA and TSA employees are not subject to the new rule.