The National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2022 established a new paid leave entitlement for most federal employees. Eligible employees receive two workweeks (80 hours) of paid parental bereavement leave following the death of a qualifying child. An employee may not receive more than two workweeks of bereavement leave in any 12-month period.

Eligibility

Most federal employees are eligible for this leave if they earn annual and sick leave, and:

• Serve under a permanent or term appointment. Temporary appointments of one year or less are not eligible.
• Have an established part-time or full-time work schedule. Intermittent employees are not eligible.
• Have completed at least 12 months of service.
• A supervisor may require that you supply a written self-certification or other documentation such as a death certificate.
• Have a Qualifying Child: Child means a biological, adopted or foster child, stepchild, legal ward or a child of a person standing in loco parentis who is:
  • Under the age of 18, or
  • 18 and older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

When to Use It

• You must be in pay status and use during your normal tour of duty. Seasonal employees may not use it during the off-season when in non-pay status.
• Within 12 months of a qualifying child’s death. A 12-month period starts on the date of the death of the child and continues for 12 months. If you suffer the death of another child during the same 12-month period, you are entitled to another 12-month period. Any bereavement leave that you take during the overlap of the 12-month periods counts against each period.
• Retroactively dating back to the effective date of NDAA. You may submit a corrected timesheet if you used a different leave category for the death of a qualifying child dating back to Dec. 27, 2021.
• You lose all unused bereavement leave after the 12-month period expires.

How to Use It

• You are entitled to use bereavement leave upon request if you meet all eligibility requirements.
• Once you start bereavement leave, you must use it continuously unless you have advanced approval from your supervisor to use it intermittently.
• Until the National Finance Center implements the new transaction code, use code TC-66, Administrative Leave, and note in the remarks section of Paycheck8 that the leave is for paternity bereavement.

More Information

• Memo from the Office of Personnel Management
• HRM Leave webpage

Help is available

Open an HR Help case:

1. Call: 1-877-372-7248, Press 2
2. Email: hrm_contact_center@usda.gov
3. Self-Service: ConnectHR > HR Help link

For detailed instructions, visit the HR Help How-to Add a Case Guide.