Memorandum on the Emergency Leave Transfer Program for Federal Employees Adversely Affected by the Severe Storms and Flooding in Louisiana

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Emergency Leave Transfer Program for Federal Employees Adversely Affected by the Severe Storms and Flooding in Louisiana

I am deeply saddened by the devastating losses caused by the severe storms and historic flooding in Louisiana. The Federal Government has mobilized its resources to support Louisiana in response to and recovery from this major disaster. While Federal departments and agencies rally their capabilities to support these efforts, many of those same Federal employees are personally impacted by the storms in Louisiana and are dealing with overwhelming personal losses.

To further assist Federal employees and their family members adversely affected by the severe storms and flooding in Louisiana of August 2016, I hereby direct the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to establish an emergency leave transfer program, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 6391. The program will permit employees in the executive and judicial branches, or an agency leave bank established under 5 U.S.C. 6363, to donate unused annual leave for transfer to employees of the same or other agencies (or the judicial branch) who were adversely affected by the severe storms and flooding in Louisiana and who need additional time off for recovery. I further direct OPM to provide additional guidance to agencies on the program's administration.

BARACK OBAMA