DATE: 12-27-2021
(A) Supervisory Scheduling Operations Officer/
Program Assistant
This communication only applies to Managers addressing
BUE Leave Requests. This outline will
explain the expectations of BUEs, and Management for proper accounting of leave
requests and paperwork flow. BUEs
are required to ensure that they have an appropriate leave balance to cover any
requested days prior to the commencement of the first day of leave and covering
all days requested. An awarded
week through the vacation bid is not an automatic approval; the employee
must have an appropriate leave balance to cover the days off.
The 2022 1st
come/serve calendar is posted at:
1. For
awarded weeks or days at a time:
A.
The
BUE will submit to Scheduling an OPM 71 two weeks prior or more ONLY if they are cancelling their awarded bid weeks/single
days. Or if the BUE needs to change the type of leave being used. For Example:
Comp time/Comp time Travel/ T.O.A. SICK Leave may not be used for
vacation purposes. BUEs may, at their choosing, scan and email a
completed OPM 71 to LGA.Scheduling@dhs.gov in lieu of submitting the 71
through interoffice mail. When scanning, please only send PDF files. The file should be cropped to eliminate any
background images. Only blue or black
ink should be used.
B.
No
OPM 71 will be required for awarded bid weeks/single days unless as stated
above.
C.
KRONOS/eTAS
will be updated accordingly ever quarter to enter BUEs awarded days.
i.
BUEs that are aware that they do not have an appropriate leave balance to cover all days
of an awarded bid should submit an OPM 71 indicating the days they wish to take
off based on the appropriate leave balance they have to avoid a no pay situation. BUEs
should reference their most up to date Leave and Earning Statement on their
“Employee Personal page” https://www.nfc.usda.gov/epps/index.aspx
ii.
It
is each BUEs responsibility to ensure that they have accrued a sufficient leave
balance to cover ALL the days of leave indicated in KRONOS.
D.
BUEs
should make every attempt to cancel awarded weeks/days as far in advance as
possible to allow the days to be converted to 1st come/serve.
a)
If
a BUE properly cancels the entire leave bid week, it will then be offered on
the 1st come/serve calendar; NOTE – an officer’s RDOs do not convert
to 1st come/serve.
2.
For
1st come/serve leave requests
A.
ALL
1st come/serve requests must be sent to scheduling seven
(7) calendar days prior to the first (1st) requested day off.
The request must be time stamped at
the checkpoint prior to sending via inter office mail. BUEs may, at their
choosing, scan and email a completed OPM 71 to LGA.Scheduling@dhs.gov in lieu of submitting the 71
through interoffice mail. When scanning, please only send PDF files. The file
should be cropped to eliminate any background images. Only blue or black ink should be used.
B. NOTE – First Come/Serve requests will be
sent quarterly.
a)
For
dates in January, February and March
2022 time stamps must be after December 15, 2021
b)
For
dates in April, May and June 2022
time stamps must be after March 15, 2022
c)
For
dates in July, August and September 2022
time stamps must be after June 15, 2022
d)
For
dates in October, November, December
2022, time stamps must be after September 15, 2022
C.
No leave requests for first come/serve consideration with
dates past 01-01-2023 will be considered until the next year’s annual leave bid
is complete for 2023.
D.
The
BUE will submit the time stamped OPM 71 to the scheduling unit indicating the
days they are requesting off, and will annotate in the remarks section that the
request is first come/serve. This can be
accomplished by scanning a signed OPM 71 indicating the days requested and
emailing it to the LGA.Scheduling@tsa.dhs.gov email, or through inter office
mail. For requests received through inter office mail, the request must be time
stamped at your checkpoint prior to sending.
E.
The
scheduling unit will refer to the “1st come 1st serve
calendar” and “Leave Accrual” to ensure the day is available and the BUE has
the appropriate amount of leave available.
F.
If
the days requested are available, the BUE has the appropriate amount of leave
accrued; or will accrue the appropriate amount prior to the first day off
requested and covering all requesting days; the request may be signed as
approved and a copy will be provided to the BUE.
a)
Scheduling
will update the “BUE 1st come 1st serve spreadsheet”
annotating the days as being reserved/taken, and will place the officer on the
iShare leave calendar.
b)
Scheduling
will complete KRONOS entry.
i.
After
KRONOS entry a copy of the OPM 71 will be forwarded to the requesting employee
through inter office mail.
ii.
The
original OPM 71 will be forwarded to payroll for eTAS and storage
3. For
those 1st come/serve requests that are within a short time frame (1
– 6 days), the employees TSM may approve the request.
A.
The
requesting officer will provide their TSM an OPM 71 requesting days off for the
following 1 – 6 days. TSMs (or unit
manager) will use all resources available to them to make an informed decision.
a)
TSMs
should refer to Management Notes on Article 3.B.5 in considering these types of
requests. For all scheduled leave other
than an annual request processed by scheduling:
i.
If
a BUE submits a scheduled leave request to take leave that falls within the
next three (3) days, the TSM (or unit manager) will provide a copy to the
employee of the approved/disapproved OPM 71 within four (4) work–hours from the
time the leave request was submitted to the TSM (or unit manager). TSMs (or unit manager) will use all available
resources to them to make an informed decision.
ii.
If
a BUE submits a scheduled leave request, to take leave that falls within four
(4) to six (6) days from the date, TSMs (or unit manager) will provide a copy
to the employee of the approved/disapproved leave request within twenty-four
(24) hours from the time the leave request was submitted to management. TSMs
(or unit manager) will use all available resources to them to make an informed
decision.
B.
If
the TSM is approving a request for any reason, they will email the LGA.Scheduling@tsa.dhs.gov unit with the employee’s name,
area/shift, type of leave used, and days being approved. The TSM will provide the employee a copy of
the signed request, as well as the LGA Coordination Center for Shift coverage
accountability and forward the original to scheduling.
a)
Scheduling
will then update KRONOS and availability database.
b)
The
TSM will update the appropriate Leave Calendar.
c)
The
original OPM 71 will be forwarded to payroll for eTAS and storage.
4.
Other types of leave.
A. All requests for use of sick leave, LWOP, Court, Military (any other
types of leave) should be given to the TSM for approval or guidance. Scheduling does not approve these types of
leave and will return them to the TSM.
