Officer Leave and Absence Request FAQs

All officers must enter leave requests into the electronic Commissioned Officer Resources Processing System (eCORPS). Requests will be electronically routed directly to a Leave Approving Official (LAO). LAOs can be any Agency supervisor, Reviewing Official (RO), or any individual serving as a proxy to an official supervisor or RO, such as another Corps officer, or civilian Leave Maintenance Clerk (LMC)

User guides and tutorial videos

for officers and ARAOs can be found at: https://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/eCORPS_m.aspx .

The following types of absences must be submitted via eCorps:

• Leave Inside Continental U.S.(Leave-INCONUS)
• Leave Outside Continental U.S.(Leave-OUTCONUS)
• Sick Leave
• Adoption Leave
• Paternity Leave (Spousal Leave)
• Maternity Leave
• Post Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA)(MOB Respite)
  Note: PDMRA is the same as PHS Post-Deployment Respite Absence (PDRA).

We are pleased to announce that, as a part of the Continuing Appropriations Act 2021 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 8337-22) signed by the President, Public Health Service Officers can now carryover their leave in excess of 60 days for FY 2020.

Excerpt from Section 2106 reads:

SEC. 2106. AUTHORIZATION TO ACCUMULATE EXCESS ANNUAL LEAVE. (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 219 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 210–1), a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service who, except for this section, would lose at the end of the fiscal year 2020 accumulated annual leave in excess of 60 days, may retain such amounts of accumulated annual leave in excess of 60 days.]

This is exciting for the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Officers should be aware that the continuing resolution specifies this is a one-time carryover of excess leave over 60 days and cannot be applied to excess leave in future years unless another law is passed. Use or lose will apply to leave earned in FY 2021 and subsequent years. All excess leave from FY 2020 over the 60 days normally allowed for carryover must be used by September 30, 2023, or it will be lost. (See below FAQs for more information)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What exactly is an "Absence Request" and how does it work?

An absence request is essentially an electronic means of requesting leave.

For information about all leave and leave types, please refer to CC361.01 “Leave of Absence; General” policy dated 12 February 2012.

2. I need printed verification of approved leave (i.e. flying space available). What should I do?

You must complete a PHS-1345 Request and Authority for Leave of Absence form in addition to submitting your request in DA. This form does not need to be submitted to CCHQ. You may also print a form from eCORPS by selecting the PDF icon next to your leave request list. This may not be considered official by all federal entities.

3. What dates should I use on my Absence Request?

When requesting leave, enter the beginning date as the first full duty day that you will be absent from your duty station and your last full day of absence from your duty station as your end date. PER CURRENT POLICIES ON LEAVE, YOU MUST BE IN AN ABSENCE STATUS EVEN DURING NON-DUTY DAYS IF THOSE NON-DUTY DAYS ARE BETWEEN PERIODS OF REQUESTED ABSENCES. Any day requested as part of your absence request will be deducted from you leave balance (if that absence type is chargeable against your annual leave balance).

4. Who can approve my absence request?

Consistent with the current policy on leave, only supervisors or Leave Approving Officials (LAO) are delegated the authority to approve an officer’s absence request.

5. My LAO is not correct in eCORPS. What should I do?

Please consult with your supervisor and Commissioned Corps Agency Liaison to update your LAO.

6. What if my Agency wants to designate someone without an eCORPS account as my LAO?

Your Agency would need to submit a request through your Commissioned Corps Agency Liaison. If approved, your Liaison will establish an account for the individual.

7. My leave balance is not correct. What should I do?

Always start by contact your LAO. If you and your LAO cannot determine the reason for the incorrect balance, contact your Commissioned Corps Agency Liaison.

8. Can I carryover excess leave in Fiscal year 2022 and 2023?

No, under the Continuing Resolution officers are only allowed one-time carryover of excess annual leave, beyond the existing 60 days carryover. This one time occurs from Fiscal year 2020 to Fiscal year 2021. This will be referred has “excess annual leave”.

Sec. 2106 of the most recent Continuing Resolution (P.L. 116-159) temporarily authorizes Commissioned Corps officers to carry over more than 60 days of annual leave that must be used before the end of FY 2023 (September 30, 2023). This is a onetime provision. “That leave” must be used by the end of FY23. There is nothing in the statute that allows carrying over excess leave from any subsequent FYs.

9. Can excess annual leave be paid out in lump sum leave upon retirement?

Depends. The maximum payout for Lump Sum Leave is 60 days. Please keep in mind the 60 day maximum includes any Lump Sum Leave payout during your active duty career. If your excess annual leave plus your regularly accumulated leave is greater than 60 days as of your retirement date, you will only be paid 60 days of lump sum leave even if you retire before September 30, 2023.

10. What time frame do I have to use my excess leave from Fiscal year 2020?

Three years from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2023. It must be used by September 30, 2023 or it will be forfeited.

11. Should I use my regular annual leave first or my excess annual leave?

It is your choice as to which leave you would like to use. However, we suggest you use your excess annual leave first. These scenarios below illustrate that it is best to use the excess annual leave first, then use your regular annual leave.

Please see scenarios in the chart below.

Total Annual Leave balance on 09/30/2020 (carry over)	Annual Leave Taken from 10/01/2020 to 09/30/2021 (FY 2021)	Total Annual Leave Balance on 9/30/2021	Leave Annual Taken from 10/01/2021 to 09/30/2022 (FY 2022)	Total Annual Leave Balance on 9/30/2022	Annual Leave Taken from 10/01/2022 to 09/30/2023 (FY 2023)	Total Annual Leave Balance on 9/30/23
Scenario #1 Use regular annual leave first and never use excess annual leave
60 days FY2020 + 30 day excess FY2020) Total: 90 days	(-) 5 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	60 days FY2021 (forfeit 25 days) + 30 days excess FY2020 Total: 90 days	(-) 20 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	60 days FY2022 (forfeit 10 days) + 30 days excess FY2020 Total: 90 days	(-) 30 days + 2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	60 days balance FY2023 (+0 days excess FY2020 forfeit 30 days)1 Total: 60 days
Scenario #2 Use regular annual leave first, then use excess annual leave
60 days FY2020 + 30 day excess FY2020) Total: 90 days	(-) 60 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	30 days FY2021 + 30 days excess FY2020 Total: 60 days	(-) 40 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	20 days FY2021 + 30 days excess FY2020 Total: 50 days	(-) 40 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	10 days balance FY2023 + 0 days excess FY2020 (forfeit 30 days) Total: 10 days
Scenario #3 Use excess annual leave first, then use regular leave (taking small amount leave through 3 years
60 days FY2020 + 30 day excess FY2020) Total: 90 days	+2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year (-) 5 days	60 days FY2021 (forfeit 30 days) + 25 days excess FY2020 Total: 85 days	+2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	60 days FY2022 (forfeit 30 days) + 5 days excess FY2020 Total: 65 days	(-) 25 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	60 days balance FY2023 (forfeit 5 days) (+0 days excess FY2020 forfeit ) Total: 60 days
Scenario #4 Use excess annual leave first, then use regular
60 days FY2020 + 30 day excess FY2020) Total: 90 days	(-) 30 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year (-) 30 days	60 days FY2021 + 0 days excess FY2020 Total: 60	(-) 40 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	50 days FY2021 + 0 days excess FY2020 Total: 50 days	(-) 40 days +2.5 {number of days accumulated a month} x12 { number of months} = 30 days a year	40 days balance FY2023 + 0 days excess FY2020 (forfeit 0 days) Total: 40 days

12. When do I have to use all my excess leave by?

All excess leave must be used by 30 September 2023.

13. How much leave can I carryover after 30 September 2023?

You may carryover 60 days of regular annual leave. Any regular annual leave over 60 days will be forfeited. You will also forfeit any remaining excess leave annual leave as well.

14. Are retirees currently on terminal leave before 30 September 2020 allowed to carryover excess leave?

No, please refer to the example below

Ex. On 30 September 2020, an officer is on terminal until 15 October 2020. During FY 2020, the officer accumulated a total of 69 days. Because the officer is on terminal leave, the Corps reset the officer’s leave to 60 days on 1 October 2020 and the officer loses the excess 9 days.

15. Can an officer retiring after 30 September 2020 and before 30 September 2023 use their excess leave for terminal leave?

Yes, please refer to the example below

Ex. On 30 September 2020, an officer has 70 days of accumulated leave. The officer has carried over the excess 10 days of leave unused into FY 2023. The officer is retiring from active duty on 1 August 2023 and plans on taking terminal leave rather than receiving payment for the unused leave. The officer may use all 70 available days of leave (the maximum of 60 carryover days plus the 10 excess annual leave) as terminal leave as well as any additional leave accumulated during FY 2023 prior to the officer going on terminal leave.