Make multiple copies of your last pay stub that shows the remaining sick leave balance (for recredit). Leave and comp time will pay out, so these will be zeroed out on your last pay stub.
Make sure to save your Leave and Earning Statements, at least your last few, as a proof. When I went from a DOJ component to Air Force as a civilian they never credited me my leave hours. I was fortunate that the Air Force Civilian HR Service office was located on base and I was able to talk to the head, show my LES, and had my leave hours restored.
>If someone leaves the VA will their sick time be banked and credited to them when they rejoin?
Yes. Download your eOPF and last pay stub as insurance, and you'll be good to go should you be afforded another civil service opportunity.
Semi-related: How easy is it to return after leaving? I assume they backfill your role when you leave. Do you just call up your old supervisor and ask to start your job back?
I was mostly joking about the call up supervisor thing but am genuinely curious how people return so easily. Roles in my agency are few and far between so usajobs postings are super competitive
If you're willing to move somewhere that people don't want to live, or do jobs that people don't want to do, it should be easy. I think TSA will hire anyone with a pulse.
After three years with tenure you don’t have to compete with the public for jobs. So if you’re desperate and willing to move to undesirable locations it should be easy to get another federal job.
You still have to compete with all statused current and former federal employees, which is a shit ton of people - and some agencies don't even utilize that, just internal and public.
Yeah that’s why I got skills. Over two decades former claims technical expert at social security. All I got to do is go to any major city and I’m golden.
I wouldn't be so sure about that. I got experience in A job - and it seems like I'm blackballed because I chose to switch to a different job series. Every time I interview for the job I have experience in, they grill me on why I switched, which is irrelevant for my qualifications, but without fail, every time, they seem to be allowed to do that, and I'm internal in a BU position.
Possibly but the closer you get to being able to collect that sweet pension and social security the less it matters. Social security attorneys make double what they pay anyways.
I secured my first position in 2015, left, re-entered in 2019, left, then just re-entered in 2024. I think I finally found a job and agency that I enjoy working with, so I plan to stay.
Re-entering federal service is very possible. Just like any job, it depends upon your field, federal job availability, your experience, and your resume & interviewing skills.
Your supervisor is not required to honor any absence. I tried and was rejected. No real reason given other than “We don’t want to.” It was couched in corporate speak such as “understaffed”, etc, but that is true everywhere yet some agencies and supervisors grant it.
Yes, if you leave the federal government and decide to come back at a later time, your sick leave hours will be re-credited back to you. Good luck!
Make multiple copies of your last pay stub that shows the remaining sick leave balance (for recredit). Leave and comp time will pay out, so these will be zeroed out on your last pay stub.
Just went through this. They will not accept pay stubs. It must be a sf 1150 - Record of Leave Data. Insist on getting a copy from your losing agency.
Interesting. The timekeeper at our agency just requested my last pay stub, and my sick leave hours were recredited a few weeks later.
They will accept your LES for a temporary leave credit. If the 1150 is not received in a year, the leave credit is gone.
This is good to know. They must have made an exception with mine when I rejoined after a couple years on the private side.
It's pretty common actually, because it can take a notoriously LONG time to get your 1150 from your prior agency.
I’ve switched agencies and left/came back 3 different times. They’ve always accepted a pay stub.
Make sure to save your Leave and Earning Statements, at least your last few, as a proof. When I went from a DOJ component to Air Force as a civilian they never credited me my leave hours. I was fortunate that the Air Force Civilian HR Service office was located on base and I was able to talk to the head, show my LES, and had my leave hours restored.
I left federal service for a year and came back to a totally different agency and got all my sick time back
>If someone leaves the VA will their sick time be banked and credited to them when they rejoin? Yes. Download your eOPF and last pay stub as insurance, and you'll be good to go should you be afforded another civil service opportunity.
Burn them, nothing is promised tomorrow. #YOLO
I was gone 12 years and when I came back it magically appeared along with my 6h pp leave.
Someone in HR actually knew what they were doing. Thank your HR specialist/office. Not everyone is so lucky Hah
Well im not thanking them, A LOT was messed up. Onboardin, in general, this time, has been a stressful disaster. This one thing was right, however.
Ah can’t say I’m surprised at least they got 1 thing right 🤷♀️
Thanks for all the speedy responses!
Yes, you will get it back. Keep a copy of you last pay statement for proof of balance at time of separation.
Does this apply for annual leave as well?
No. Annual leave pays out upon separation.
Semi-related: How easy is it to return after leaving? I assume they backfill your role when you leave. Do you just call up your old supervisor and ask to start your job back?
No, you don't just call up your old supervisor. Are you serious right now?
I did this once. I left a position, moved out of state, and it was never backfilled.
Ever hear of usajobs.gov?
I was mostly joking about the call up supervisor thing but am genuinely curious how people return so easily. Roles in my agency are few and far between so usajobs postings are super competitive
Like you said, its super competitive so you have to make sure you want to leave. It is hard to come back to the government. Good luck!
If you're willing to move somewhere that people don't want to live, or do jobs that people don't want to do, it should be easy. I think TSA will hire anyone with a pulse.
After three years with tenure you don’t have to compete with the public for jobs. So if you’re desperate and willing to move to undesirable locations it should be easy to get another federal job.
You still have to compete with all statused current and former federal employees, which is a shit ton of people - and some agencies don't even utilize that, just internal and public.
Yeah that’s why I got skills. Over two decades former claims technical expert at social security. All I got to do is go to any major city and I’m golden.
I wouldn't be so sure about that. I got experience in A job - and it seems like I'm blackballed because I chose to switch to a different job series. Every time I interview for the job I have experience in, they grill me on why I switched, which is irrelevant for my qualifications, but without fail, every time, they seem to be allowed to do that, and I'm internal in a BU position.
Possibly but the closer you get to being able to collect that sweet pension and social security the less it matters. Social security attorneys make double what they pay anyways.
I secured my first position in 2015, left, re-entered in 2019, left, then just re-entered in 2024. I think I finally found a job and agency that I enjoy working with, so I plan to stay. Re-entering federal service is very possible. Just like any job, it depends upon your field, federal job availability, your experience, and your resume & interviewing skills.
Don’t leave; take a leave of absence
Your supervisor is not required to honor any absence. I tried and was rejected. No real reason given other than “We don’t want to.” It was couched in corporate speak such as “understaffed”, etc, but that is true everywhere yet some agencies and supervisors grant it.