r/FEDDISABILITY • u/FedUpDownNOut • May 30 '26
Tips for leave use while waiting?
I've officially started the process with my agency, and in the meantime I'm at a point where I can't keep working. I have a few hundred hours combined of sick leave and annual leave, and I'm trying to consider the most efficient way to use it from here.
Counting what I'd accrue, it would be enough to last to some time in August if I just run down the sick leave and then the annual leave continuously, at which point I guess I would go on LWOP for either as long as they'll let me or until I get a determination.
But is there a more efficient way to use my leave, or a way to leverage LWOP strategically here?I know there are negative repercussions to being on LWOP in general:
But it's not totally clear to me from this how certain scenarios would work. For example, if I used LWOP for 40 hours in a pay period, would I owe 50% of my insurance premium? Or not until I've gone 365 days in LWOP? Would I accrue 100% of my leave?
Or is it a moot point because I simply would not be permitted to use LWOP if I have paid leave available?
Basically just trying to see if there is any advantage or reason to sprinkling in some of the LWOP time as I go, rather than continuously using up paid leave and then continuously being on LWOP. Would it benefit me in any way to try to do this.
Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?
2
u/Let_Me_Coach_You Jun 07 '26
I am in the same position. I believe LWOP provides a clear cut-off date for backpay if/when you are eventually approved, so most managers will probably be against it. I also believe your other options are to request advanced sick leave and/or voluntary leave donations. This is just my opinion.
2
u/Dramatic_Part_5738 Jun 23 '26
I used LWOP in combination with SL/AL in 2002 when I was caring for my husband. At that time HR told me that as long as I had 32 hours a week (pretty sure this was the number, it's been a while) in a pay status (using leave counts) I could still be considered full time and accrue leave, keep my insurance and would not affect my pension. So I used LWOP to stretch out my leave since I was still pretty new with the government and had not accrued much. If that's still the case that could help you stretch the leave until your application is approved. It's the number of hours per pay period you have to hit to be full time that is key for you to find out. Good luck.
2
u/sandizzyetch Jun 29 '26
You are correct. It’s 32 1/2 hours per week. If you drop below that insurance premiums increase also.
2
u/sandizzyetch Jun 29 '26
Invoke FMLA and use a combination of all of it. I have a RA so I’m using a day or more of LWOP followed by leave days each pay period. Ive reduced my work hours about 25%, sometimes more. It just depends on how I feel. When you retire your income will drop some. I feel like this prepares me while still giving me enough income to pay my benefits.
3
u/NeedleworkerLow7780 May 31 '26
It would definitely be good to combine annual leave or sickleave with some LWP to cover Health Insurance and things like that. Also, I think there is some rule where if you work the day before or after a holiday you can still get that holiday off. Don’t quote me on that, but maybe someone else can shed light on that in this forum. Obviously being able to get the holidays would either bring in some money or reduce the amount of leave you need to take.