Approve Signatory OPM 71 Form For Free

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides covered employees with an entitlement to a total of up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave (LWOP) during any 12 month period for certain family and medical needs.

Formerly Standard Form (SF) 71. Privacy Act Statement. Section 6311 of title 5, United States Code, authorizes collection of this information. The primary use of this information is by management and your payroll office to approve and record your use of leave.

An employee requesting LWOP may be required to first exhaust annual leave when the absence is primarily for the personal convenience of the employee. Generally, LWOP may not be substituted retroactively for annual or sick leave (58 Comp. Gen. 661).

LWOP, or leave without pay, is regarded as authorised leave. It is reasonable to grant an employee leave without pay if their request for time off is approved but they do not have enough accrued leave to cover the authorised absence.

During probationary period, if a government employee falls sick, he can avail leave without pay. All necessary medical certificate and fitness certificate from authorised medical officers have to be submitted. Such leave in Central government services is called extraordinary leave without pay.

If you prefer, you can write to us at Office of Personnel Management, Federal Employees Retirement System, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017-0045, or email us at retire@opm.gov. You can also find this form on our website at .opm.gov/forms/Retirement-and-Insurance-Forms.

An employee granted an unpaid leave of absence totaling up to twenty (20) working days in any year shall continue to accumulate seniority and all benefits (if applicable) and shall return to their former job and increment step.