§4083a Rest and Recuperation Leave

Summary

Agency heads can make rules to give an employee up to 20 days of paid rest and recuperation leave each leave year if the employee is serving in a combat zone, at a high‑risk, high‑threat post, or at another location with serious security or operational challenges. It is up to the agency head alone whether to use this authority. Agencies must keep records of this leave separate from other kinds of leave. Definitions in one line each: Agency — an Executive agency, not the Government Accountability Office. Combat zone — an area named by the President, by law, or certified by the Department of Defense for combat-zone tax benefits where forces are or were in combat or directly supporting operations. Employee — an officer or person appointed in the civil service, Foreign Service, or other non-uniformed appointment, appointed by the President, Congress, another such employee, or the head of a government-controlled corporation, performing a federal function and supervised by one of those appointing officials. High risk, high threat post — has the meaning given in section 4803 of this title. Leave year — starts on the first day of the first full pay period in a calendar year and ends the day before the first day of the first full pay period of the next calendar year.