Medical Certification

ELM Section 513.361 and 362 establish three rules:

a. For absences of more than three days, an employee must submit “medical documentation or other acceptable evidence” in support of an application for sick leave (“three days” means three scheduled workdays; see Step 4 H1N- 5B-C 3428, November 3, 1983, M-00489); and

b. For absences of three days or less a supervisor may accept an employee’s application for sick leave without requiring verification of the employee’s illness (unless the employee has been placed in restricted sick leave status, in which case verification is required for every absence related to illness regardless of the number of days involved); however

c. For absences of three days or less a supervisor may require an employee to submit documentation of the employee’s illness “when the supervisor deems documentation desirable for the protection of the interests of the Postal Service.”

Emergency Annual Leave

In an emergency a carrier need not obtain advance approval for leave, but must notify management as soon as possible about the emergency and the expected duration of the absence. The carrier must submit Form 3971 and explain the reason for the absence to the supervisor as soon as possible.

ELM Section 512.411-12.

Section 5. Sick Leave

The Employer agrees to continue the administration of the present sick leave program, which shall include the following specific items:

A. Credit employees with sick leave as earned.

B. Charge to annual leave or leave without pay (at employee’s option) approved absence for which employee has insufficient sick leave.

C. Employee becoming ill while on annual leave may have leave charged to sick leave upon request.

D. For periods of absence of three (3) days or less, a supervisor may accept an employee’s certification as reason for an absence.

Sick Leave Authorization.

The conditions for authorization of sick leave are outlined in Section 513.32 of the ELM. When a request for sick leave is disapproved, the supervisor must check the block “Disapproved” and write the reason(s) on the Form 3971, and note any alternative type of leave granted. (ELM Section 513.342).

If sick leave is disapproved and the absence is nonetheless warranted, the supervisor may approve, at the employee’s option, annual leave or LWOP (ELM Section 513.63).

If the employee does not have sufficient sick leave to cover the absence, at the option of the employee any difference may be charged to annual leave and/or LWOP (ELM Section 513.61).

Likewise, if the employee does not have any sick or annual leave for an approved absence, the approved absence may be charged to LWOP (ELM Section 513.62).