No short term disability in federal government

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

And you have to donate annual leave (vacation time), not sick leave, even though it will be used by recipient as sick leave.

You don't HAVE to donate anything--but the idea that others have to beg for paid sick leave is so degrading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

Govt is not asking, your collogues are asking. Govt's job is to facilitate and make it possible to donate. Your leaves are for emergency/non emergency uses. There are other products you can purchase to cover yourself. Most people (like OP) don't.

That's not the point. It's essentially a thinly disguised GoFundMe. How humiliating for people to have to ask, and I find it surprising to be asked for monetary donations at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

And you have to donate annual leave (vacation time), not sick leave, even though it will be used by recipient as sick leave.

This is what I think is absolutely outrageous. We should be allowed to donate sick leave to others rather than vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

Govt is not asking, your collogues are asking. Govt's job is to facilitate and make it possible to donate. Your leaves are for emergency/non emergency uses. There are other products you can purchase to cover yourself. Most people (like OP) don't.

Not only that, but in both my and my spouse's agency, leave donations are typically for people who have "use or lose" leave over 240. I know several people that often take the last 3 weeks of the year off, but are willing to donate a week of leave and only take the last 2 weeks of the year off. I now of at least 3 people who have done that in recent years. During the pandemic, I know more people who donated leave since so many could not or would not use leave during the pandemic and they were happy to donate leave to people who had illness or family issues where they needed donated leave.

That is also the case in my agency where people have use or lose annual leave and they give it away to the donation bank. It's outrageous. We should be able to donate sick leave to our co-workers. We've earned it, we should be able to give it away.

[Anonymous]

If you don't have savings you need to pay for short term disability insurance. I found out during my orientation that there was no government provided coverage and signed up. I kept if for years until I finished having kids and had enough leave and savings to not need it

Your too late for that so try to get a temporary medical accommodation that lets you eliminate your commute or the parts of the job you can't do while you recover. As a last resort you can get a TSP loan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

I completely disagree and think it’s nice of the government actually. As a long term fed I have TONS of annual leave that i lose yearly, so does Dh. He lost 100 hours last year. We’d gladly donate to whomever needs it. I will say that I don’t donate to maternity leaves (not standard ones. Ones with major issues/nicu I donate to)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

Govt is not asking, your collogues are asking. Govt's job is to facilitate and make it possible to donate. Your leaves are for emergency/non emergency uses. There are other products you can purchase to cover yourself. Most people (like OP) don't.

That's not the point. It's essentially a thinly disguised GoFundMe. How humiliating for people to have to ask, and I find it surprising to be asked for monetary donations at work.

If you are too humiliated, then don’t ask. Federal employees are very caring and we all understand and want to donate. If you just want free money, you’re out of luck. Op should have purchased STD. Many of us fought to have STD options available to us. When I started working and wanted to have a baby there wasn’t anything open to me. I didn’t have enough AL/SL as a new fed and we were prohibited from STD like aflac. I’m glad STD exists now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

I completely disagree and think it’s nice of the government actually. As a long term fed I have TONS of annual leave that i lose yearly, so does Dh. He lost 100 hours last year. We’d gladly donate to whomever needs it. I will say that I don’t donate to maternity leaves (not standard ones. Ones with major issues/nicu I donate to)

That's really gross that you and your husband had so many hours of vacation leave that you earned and weren't able to use because your employer overworked you. Only in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal employee who is on leave for a health emergency. I have been out for long enough that I’ve used all of my sick and annual leave. I’m applying to the leave bank at my agency, but that only covers a month. I am expected to recover, but it will be a long process (so I don’t need disability retirement). My supervisor has indicated that he will not grant me advance sick or annual leave. Is there nothing available to me after the month of leave bank leave is up? I just have zero income until I can work again? (Unless people donate some of their own leave, which is not a long term solution.)

I am a single mom with a special needs child. I can’t go without income. But obviously I can’t go back to work until I’m well enough to perform. I can’t believe the federal government doesn’t have SOME provision for employees in this situation.

You understand at a private employer you would likely be fired in this scenario?

[Anonymous]

If you don’t like how this was handled in fedgov you’d absolutely hate how it would have been handled in private sector.

[Anonymous]

Can you donate leave to a specific individual rather than a general fund?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t like how this was handled in fedgov you’d absolutely hate how it would have been handled in private sector.

It really depends on how good of a worker you are and how important you are to a company. WHen my friend's husband had a major medical crisis and she was out indefinitely, her boss said take as longs you need, your job will be here when you get back. She was worth her weight in gold and he knew it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal employee who is on leave for a health emergency. I have been out for long enough that I’ve used all of my sick and annual leave. I’m applying to the leave bank at my agency, but that only covers a month. I am expected to recover, but it will be a long process (so I don’t need disability retirement). My supervisor has indicated that he will not grant me advance sick or annual leave. Is there nothing available to me after the month of leave bank leave is up? I just have zero income until I can work again? (Unless people donate some of their own leave, which is not a long term solution.)

I am a single mom with a special needs child. I can’t go without income. But obviously I can’t go back to work until I’m well enough to perform. I can’t believe the federal government doesn’t have SOME provision for employees in this situation.

You understand at a private employer you would likely be fired in this scenario?

This is what's wrong with America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t like how this was handled in fedgov you’d absolutely hate how it would have been handled in private sector.

It really depends on how good of a worker you are and how important you are to a company. WHen my friend's husband had a major medical crisis and she was out indefinitely, her boss said take as longs you need, your job will be here when you get back. She was worth her weight in gold and he knew it.

Held the job open many months AND paid the whole time? Doubt it.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never had a private sector job that offered free STD either. You had to elect and pay.