[Decision Concerning Use of Court Leave To Accompany Child to Judicial Proceeding]

The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) requested a decision concerning an employee's claim for court leave to accompany her minor child to a grand jury proceeding. GAO held that: (1) the applicable statute provided that federal employees were entitled to leave, without loss of or reduction in pay, in response to a summons to appear personally as a witness or a juror; and (2) the employee was merely escorting her child to the proceeding and not officially connected with the proceeding in any way. Accordingly, the claim was denied.