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Marines

The amount of annual leave employees earn each pay period is determined by the length of creditable service, both civilian and military. For sick leave, the leave accrual rate is a flat 4 hours a pay period (for full time employees), regardless of length of service. 

Civilian Service

All civilian service that is potentially creditable for Civil Service Retirement Service (CSRS) purposes, including service covered by the Federal Employee Retirement Service (FERS) is also creditable for annual leave accrual. Potentially creditable service includes service that could be credited if the employee made deposits to the retirement fund. Such deposits are not required before the employee gets credit for annual leave accrual purposes.

Uniformed Service

  • For non-retired members, full credit for uniformed service (including active duty and active duty for training) performed under honorable conditions is given for annual leave accrual purposes
  • For retirees, annual leave accrual credit is given only for:
    • Actual service during a war declared by Congress (includes World War II covering the period December 7, 1941, to April 28, 1952) or while participating in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized or
    • All active duty when retirement was based on a disability received as a direct result of armed conflict or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(11). "Period of war" includes World War II, the Korean conflict, Vietnam era, the Persian Gulf War, or the period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the Congress and ending on the date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress.

Non-Federal Service or Uniformed Service

A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior non-Federal service or active duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual under the conditions prescribed by regulation and agency policy. Within DoD, crediting non-federal service or uniformed service is used as a recruitment incentive only and must be addressed during the hiring process.



Employees earn annual leave based on the length of their creditable service. Creditable service may be federal service, active duty military service, or prior non-federal service. There are some limitations on what military and non-federal service will count for leave accrual purposes. See also section on creditable service below.

Employee Type 

Less than 3 years of service 

3 years but less than 15 years of service 

15 or more years of service

 
Full-time employees ½ day (4 hours) for each pay period  3/4 day (6 hours) for each pay period, except 1¼ day (10 hours) in last pay period of leave year  1 day (8 hours) for each pay period 
Part-time employees  1 hour of annual leave for each 20 hours in a pay status 1 hour of annual leave for each 13 hours in a pay status  1 hour of annual leave for each 10 hours in a pay status 
Employees with uncommon tours of duty  (4 hours) times (average # of hours per biweekly pay period) divided by 80 = biweekly accrual rate.  (6 hours) times (average # of hours per biweekly pay period) divided by 80 = biweekly accrual rate.  (8 hours) times (average # of hours per biweekly pay period) divided by 80 = biweekly accrual rate. 

There is a limit on how much annual leave may be carried over from one leave year to the next. Annual leave in excess of the limit is forfeited by the employee. See also the section on Restoration of Annual Leave

Maximum Annual Leave That May Be Carried Over into the New Leave Year 
Federal Employees Stationed within the United States 30 days 
Federal Employees Stationed Overseas  45 days 
Members of the Senior Executive Service, Senior-Level and Scientific and Professional Employees  90 days 

 

Sick leave is accrued based on a set amount regardless of the length of creditable service. There is no limit on how much sick leave may be accrued. Unused sick leave accumulated by employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) will be used in the calculation of their annuities. FERS employees retiring before December 31, 2013 will receive a 50 percent credit for unused sick leave; after January 1, 2014 they will receive full credit for unused sick leave.
Sick Leave Accrual Rates 
Full-time Employees  1/2 day (4 hours) for each biweekly pay period 
Part-time Employees  1 hour for each 20 hours in a pay status 

Leave Accrual Rate