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Sick Leave to Care for Family Member with Serious Health Condition

Appropriate Use

Most Federal employees may use a total of up to 12 administrative workweeks of sick leave each leave year to care for a family member with a serious health condition.

If an employee previously has used any portion of the 13 days of sick leave for general family care or bereavement purposes in a leave year, that amount must be subtracted from the 12-week entitlement.

An employee is entitled to a total of 12 weeks of sick leave each year for all family care purposes.

See below for links to information on related leave entitlements.

Definition of Family Member

"Family member" is defined as--

• spouse, and parents thereof;

• children, including adopted children, and spouses thereof;

• parents;

• brothers and sisters, and spouses thereof; and

• any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.

Medical Certification

The term "serious health condition" has the same meaning as used in OPM's regulations for administering the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA).

That definition includes such conditions as cancer, heart attacks, strokes, severe injuries, Alzheimer's disease, pregnancy, and childbirth.

The term "serious health condition" is not intended to cover short-term conditions for which treatment and recovery are very brief. The common cold, the flu, earaches, upset stomach, headaches (other than migraines), routine dental or orthodontia problems, etc., are not serious health conditions unless complications arise.

The agency may require medical certification of a serious health condition. Medical certification form: Form WH-380

For More Information

For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/HTML/12week.asp or contact the Labor and Management Employee Relations (LMER) Division at 571-372-3964.

Sick Leave for Personal Use

For more information, click on the following link: Sick Leave for Personal Use.

Sick Leave for Family Care of Bereavement Purposes

For more information, click on the following link: Sick Leave for Family Care or Bereavement.

Leave Entitlements under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

For more information, click on the following link: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Leave.