Federal Leave Options Beyond Sick and Annual: Complete 2026 Guide
Know all your federal leave options. LWOP, FMLA, donated leave, military leave, paid parental leave, and more, plus how each affects FEHB, FERS, and TSP.
Federal Leave Options Beyond Sick and Annual: Complete 2026 Guide
Last Updated: February 8, 2026 Reading Time: 12 min
Most federal employees know about annual and sick leave. Few realize they have access to at least 15 other leave categories. When your balances hit zero, you still have options: advanced leave, donated leave, FMLA, military leave, paid parental leave, and more. Each one protects your benefits differently. This guide covers every federal leave type, when to use each one, and what Leave Without Pay actually costs you in lost FERS credit, FEHB premiums, and TSP matching.
Key Takeaways
- Federal employees have 15+ leave types beyond standard annual and sick leave
- Military leave increased from 15 to 20 days per fiscal year starting FY2025 (effective December 23, 2024)
- LWOP carries hidden costs: FEHB continues only 365 days, FERS credit stops after 6 months per calendar year, and TSP contributions halt immediately
- Advanced sick leave of up to 240 hours is available for serious conditions, but many employees go straight to LWOP without knowing this option exists
- Always exhaust every paid leave option before taking LWOP
- Use FedTools' Federal Leave Optimizer to plan your leave strategy and avoid losing use-or-lose hours
Every federal leave type at a glance
The ones most employees miss are marked with an asterisk (*).
| Leave Type | Paid? | Max Duration | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Leave | Yes | Per accrual rate | None |
| Sick Leave | Yes | Per accrual rate | Medical need |
| Advanced Annual Leave | Yes | Rest of leave year accrual | Agency approval |
| Advanced Sick Leave* | Yes | 240 hours | Serious condition |
| Voluntary Leave Transfer (VLTP)* | Yes | No limit | Medical emergency + exhausted leave |
| Leave Bank (VLBP) | Yes | Per bank rules | Must be a member |
| FMLA (Federal Title II)* | Unpaid** | 12 weeks | Qualifying reason |
| Paid Parental Leave* | Yes | 12 weeks | Birth, adoption, or foster |
| Military Leave* | Yes | 20 days/FY + 22 days/CY | Reserve/Guard orders |
| Disabled Veteran Leave | Yes | 104 hours | 30%+ VA rating, new hire |
| Court Leave | Yes | As needed | Jury duty or witness summons |
| Bone Marrow/Organ Donor Leave | Yes | 7 or 30 days | Active donation |
| Weather and Safety Leave | Yes | As declared | OPM closure (non-telework) |
| Administrative Leave | Yes | 10 days/year max | Agency grant |
| Parental Bereavement Leave* | Yes | 2 weeks | Death of a child |
| Leave Without Pay (LWOP) | No | No max | Agency approval |
*Leave type most employees don't know about. **FMLA leave itself is unpaid, but you can substitute paid leave (annual, sick, PPL) during FMLA.
The paid options you should exhaust first
Advanced sick leave: up to 240 hours
If you have a serious health condition, your agency can advance up to 240 hours (30 days) of sick leave, even if your balance is zero.
Who qualifies: employees incapacitated by illness, injury, pregnancy, or those with a family member who has a serious health condition.
The catch: you must repay the advanced hours through future accruals. If you separate before repaying, the balance comes out of your final paycheck.
Most people skip straight from sick leave to LWOP without ever asking about this. Those 240 hours of paid leave protect your FEHB pre-tax deductions, FERS credit, and TSP matching.
Advanced annual leave
Your agency can advance annual leave equal to the amount you would accrue during the rest of the leave year. If you are in the 6-hour accrual category with 10 pay periods left, that is up to 60 hours in advance.
Most useful for new employees who have not built up a balance yet, or anyone who needs time off before their next accrual.
Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP)
When you face a medical emergency, coworkers can donate their annual leave to you. There is no cap on how many hours you can receive.
To qualify as a recipient you must:
- Have a personal or family medical emergency
- Expect prolonged absence
- Have exhausted all accrued and advanced leave (personal emergency) or all annual leave (family emergency)
One rule trips people up: only annual leave can be donated. Sick leave cannot be donated, period. Donors may contribute up to half their annual accrual per leave year.
Paid parental leave: 12 weeks
Since October 2020, federal employees get up to 12 administrative workweeks of paid leave for a birth, adoption, or foster placement. Both parents qualify if both are feds.
Two catches worth knowing:
- PPL must be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave. You cannot use it on its own.
- You sign a written agreement to work for 12 weeks after PPL ends. Leave before that, and you repay the government share of your health insurance premiums for the entire PPL period.
Military leave: now 20 days per year
The FY2025 NDAA (signed December 23, 2024) increased standard military leave from 15 to 20 days per fiscal year. Some HR offices still have the old 15-day number in their handbooks, so double-check yours.
| Category | Days | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard duty (6323(a)) | 20 days/FY | Active duty, training, Reserve/Guard |
| Emergency/contingency (6323(b)) | 22 days/CY | Presidential or SecDef order, contingency ops |
| DC National Guard (6323(c)) | Unlimited | Parade or encampment duty |
Up to 20 days carry into the next fiscal year, so you could have 40 days available in a single year. Weekends and holidays within your service period are not charged as military leave.
During military leave you stay in full pay status. Annual and sick leave keep accruing, FEHB stays active, FERS credit continues, and TSP contributions keep going.
FMLA for federal employees: what is different
Federal FMLA (Title II, administered by OPM) works differently from private-sector FMLA, and mostly in your favor:
| Feature | Federal (Title II) | Private sector (Title I) |
|---|---|---|
| Hours-worked requirement | None | 1,250 hours in prior 12 months |
| Employer size threshold | All agencies covered | 50+ employees within 75 miles |
| Spousal limit | Each spouse gets own 12 weeks | Spouses at same employer may share |
| Sick leave for family care | Up to 13 days/year | Varies by employer |
FMLA itself is unpaid, but you can substitute paid leave during your 12 weeks: annual leave, sick leave (with limits for family care), advanced leave, donated leave, or Paid Parental Leave for birth or placement.
The real reason to invoke FMLA even when you have paid leave: job protection. Your agency must hold your position or an equivalent one.
Leave types for specific situations
Court leave
Jury duty and witness service (when the government is a party) are covered at full pay with no charge to your leave. You hand over any jury or witness fees to your agency, but keep the expense reimbursements for travel and meals.
Bone marrow and organ donor leave
Separate from your regular leave balances. Bone marrow donors get up to 7 days and organ donors get up to 30 days per calendar year.
Disabled veteran leave
New federal hires with a VA disability rating of 30% or higher receive 104 hours (13 days) of paid leave for medical treatment related to their service-connected disability. You must use it within 12 months of your start date, or it is forfeited.
Parental bereavement leave
Added by the FY2022 NDAA, this provides 2 workweeks of paid leave following the death of a qualifying child. Available to employees with at least 1 year of service in permanent or term positions. Must be used within 12 months of the child's death.
Weather and safety leave
When OPM announces an office closure or early dismissal, non-telework employees get paid weather and safety leave. If you are telework-eligible, you do not get this leave. You work from home during closures. A lot of people find this out the hard way during their first snowstorm.
Administrative leave
Under 5 USC 6329a, agencies can grant up to 10 workdays per year of administrative leave for things like voting, blood donations, or short administrative matters. Longer periods (pending investigations, for example) fall under notice leave or investigative leave instead.
The hidden costs of Leave Without Pay
LWOP should be your last resort. Here is what you actually lose:
| Benefit | What happens during LWOP |
|---|---|
| FEHB | Continues up to 365 days, but premiums become post-tax (higher effective cost) |
| FEGLI | Continues up to 12 months at no cost |
| FERS credit | Up to 6 months per calendar year is free creditable service. Beyond 6 months is permanently lost. |
| TSP | All contributions stop immediately, including agency matching |
| Leave accrual | No accrual when 80+ hours of LWOP accumulate in a pay period |
| Step increases | Excess LWOP delays your within-grade increase waiting period |
The FERS impact is the one that stings. LWOP beyond 6 months in a calendar year is permanently non-creditable. You cannot make a deposit to get it back. A GS-13 with a $115,000 High-3 average loses about $1,150 per year from their pension for every year of non-creditable LWOP. Over a 25-year retirement, that is $28,750 gone.
Before taking LWOP, work through this checklist:
- Request advanced sick leave (up to 240 hours)
- Request advanced annual leave
- Apply for VLTP or Leave Bank donations
- Invoke FMLA for job protection (substituting paid leave as available)
- Only then consider LWOP
Which leave fits your situation
Your own medical emergency
Go in this order: sick leave, then advanced sick leave (up to 240 hours), then VLTP donations, then FMLA with LWOP. File your FMLA paperwork early to lock in job protection, even if you still have paid leave available.
Family medical emergency
Use sick leave (up to 480 hours for serious conditions), invoke FMLA for job protection, apply for VLTP. You can substitute up to 13 days of sick leave per year for general family care under FMLA.
Military activation
Use military leave first (20 days/FY, plus 22 days/CY for contingency operations). For longer deployments, use annual leave or take LWOP. USERRA protections guarantee your reemployment rights. FEHB continues up to 24 months during military LWOP, which gives you more protection than standard LWOP.
RIF or furlough
During a RIF notice period, you may use annual leave normally. You can use annual leave to extend your separation date to reach retirement eligibility. At separation, you receive a lump-sum payment for all unused annual leave. FEHB continues for 31 days free, then you can elect Temporary Continuation of Coverage for up to 18 months at 102% of the total premium.
During a furlough (shutdown), you cannot use annual or sick leave, and any pre-approved leave is canceled. Back pay has been guaranteed in every recent shutdown, most recently confirmed in the February 2026 spending deal. FEHB continues, and premiums accumulate and come out of your back pay.
5 best leave-stretching windows in 2026
Take leave on workdays sandwiched between holidays and weekends, and you multiply your days off. Here are the best opportunities in 2026.
1. Juneteenth: 1 day off → 4 days off (4x)
Juneteenth falls on Friday, June 19. Take Thursday, June 18 off and you get a 4-day weekend (Thu-Sun) for just 8 hours of leave.
2. Independence Day: 1 day off → 4 days off (4x)
July 4 is a Saturday in 2026, so the observed holiday is Friday, July 3. Take Thursday, July 2 off for another 4-day weekend (Thu-Sun) with 1 leave day.
3. Thanksgiving: 1 day off → 4 days off (4x)
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. Take Friday, November 27 off and you have Thu-Sun off. Want the full week? Take Mon-Wed off too (4 days total) for 9 consecutive days off (Nov 21-29).
4. Veterans Day: 2 days off → 5 days off (2.5x)
Veterans Day lands on Wednesday, November 11, right in the middle of the week. Take Thursday-Friday (Nov 12-13) off and you get a 5-day break (Wed-Sun). Bridge the other side too (Mon-Tue) for 9 days off with 4 leave days.
5. Christmas-New Year's: 8 days off → 17 days off (2.1x)
Christmas is Friday, December 25 and New Year's Day 2027 is Thursday, January 1. Take Dec 21-24 (Mon-Thu), Dec 28-31 (Mon-Thu) off, that is 8 leave days for 17 consecutive days off from December 19 through January 4. If you have use-or-lose hours expiring, this is where to spend them.
| Window | Leave Days | Days Off | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juneteenth (Jun 18) | 1 | 4 | 4.0x |
| Independence Day (Jul 2) | 1 | 4 | 4.0x |
| Thanksgiving (Nov 27) | 1 | 4 | 4.0x |
| Veterans Day (Nov 12-13) | 2 | 5 | 2.5x |
| Christmas-New Year's (Dec 21-Jan 2) | 8 | 17 | 2.1x |
These windows assume a standard Monday-Friday schedule. If you work a compressed schedule (4/10 or 5/4/9), your optimal dates will be different.
Calculate your best leave dates
The table above is a starting point. The Federal Leave Optimizer factors in your specific work schedule, existing leave balance, and use-or-lose deadline to find every leave-stretching opportunity in 2026. Try it now.
Frequently asked questions
What leave options do federal employees have when they run out of annual and sick leave?
Several options exist beyond annual and sick leave: advanced annual leave (up to your remaining leave year accrual), advanced sick leave (up to 240 hours for serious conditions), donated leave through the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program, FMLA-protected unpaid leave (12 weeks), and Leave Without Pay. Exhaust all paid options before taking LWOP, since unpaid leave affects your FEHB premiums, TSP contributions, FERS credit, and step increases.
Does FEHB coverage continue during Leave Without Pay?
Yes. FEHB enrollment continues for up to 365 days during LWOP. The government keeps paying its share of the premium, but you must pay the employee share, and it is no longer pre-tax, so your effective cost increases. If you return to pay status for at least 4 consecutive months, the 365-day clock resets. After 365 days, enrollment terminates.
How does LWOP affect my FERS retirement?
Up to 6 months of LWOP per calendar year is creditable toward FERS retirement at no cost. LWOP beyond 6 months in the same calendar year is NOT creditable, and you cannot make a deposit to recover that credit. For example, 8 months of LWOP in 2026 means 2 months of lost service credit that can never be recovered.
How does FMLA for federal employees differ from the private sector?
Federal FMLA (Title II) has no 1,250-hours-worked requirement, no employer-size threshold, and each federal spouse gets their own 12 weeks. However, federal employees can only substitute up to 13 days of sick leave per year for family care under FMLA, compared to more flexible substitution rules in many private-sector policies.
How much military leave do federal employees get in 2026?
Starting FY2025, federal employees who are Reservists or National Guard members accrue 20 days of military leave per fiscal year under 5 USC 6323(a), up from the previous 15 days. Unused military leave carries over up to 20 days, so you could have up to 40 days available in a single fiscal year. Additionally, 22 days per calendar year are available for emergency or contingency operations.
Can I donate sick leave to another federal employee?
No. Only annual leave can be donated through the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program or Leave Bank. Sick leave cannot be donated under any circumstances. As a donor, you may contribute up to one-half of the annual leave you would accrue during the leave year.
What is Parental Bereavement Leave?
Parental Bereavement Leave provides 2 workweeks of paid leave following the death of a qualifying child. It was established by the FY2022 NDAA and is available to Title 5 employees with permanent or term appointments who have at least 1 year of federal service. Qualifying children include biological, adopted, step, and foster children under 18, as well as adult children with disabilities.
Related resources
- Federal Leave Optimizer: Plan your annual leave around holidays and track use-or-lose hours
- FERS Retirement Calculator: See how service years and LWOP gaps affect your pension
- Government Shutdown Guide 2026: Furlough rules, back pay, and benefits during a shutdown
- Best Dates to Retire 2026: Timing your retirement around leave payouts
- FERS Sick Leave Value at Retirement: How unused sick leave converts to pension credit
- VERA/VSIP Guide 2026: Early retirement and buyout options
Sources and references
- OPM Fact Sheet: Effect of Extended LWOP on Federal Benefits
- OPM Fact Sheet: FMLA for Federal Employees
- OPM Fact Sheet: Paid Parental Leave
- OPM Fact Sheet: Military Leave
- OPM Fact Sheet: Voluntary Leave Transfer Program
- OPM Fact Sheet: Advanced Sick Leave
- 5 USC 6323: Military Leave
- 5 CFR Part 630: Absence and Leave
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