Questions Regarding Sick and Annual Leave for Senate Employees

Several questions were posed regarding sick and annual leave for Senate employees. Of particular concern was the propriety of payment for accumulated annual leave to a Senate employee when she transferred to a government agency since she also received pay from the agency for the same week. The dual payment was improper because leave may not be tranferred to her credit at a new position in the executive branch from a postion with either house of Congress. The accrued leave was earned under the Senator's informal system incident to his power of appointment and the benefits available to other federal employees can only be made available to Senate employees through the establishment of a statutory leave system. Although the dual payment was improper, the Secretary of the Senate could waive collection of the overpayment since the amount was under $500.