Fed - can I use LWOP a few hours each week?

[Anonymous]

With my supervisor's support, I am trying to find some creative ways to stay in my job while dealing with a dependent care issue. I probably would not be allowed to officially go part time, and I don't need to drop down very many hours - I'm looking for 3 to 6 hours a week. Can I take 3 hours of LWOP a week, for a year or more? The OPM site doesn't say.

[Anonymous]

I think will depend on your agency’s policy. In my agency I believe you would have to exhaust all available leave first, and approval has to come from pretty high up - not just a direct supervisor.

[Anonymous]

You may be able to invoke FMLA for a qualifying dependent care issue.

[Anonymous]

I was able to at my previous agency. My direct supervisor OK'd it, and his supervisor never explicitly vetoed it (and he was aware).

[Anonymous]

I got a no when I asked.

Could you come in at 6am or 7am instead and then leave earlier? Get on a maxi flex schedule?

[Anonymous]

It's usually case by case with each agency on how they want to interpret the OPM guidance, and even varies down to the office level. A supervisor can approve a certain amount of LWOP hours a pay period. Just watch your leave accruals and know eventually it could affect your time in grade increase (WIGI). You could speak to HR as well.

[Anonymous]

Pay for daycare, cheap-o. I say this as a female fed supervisor with two young kids. Everyone I know who has daycare issues is trying to cheap out on child care. I would absolutely not approve your request.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay for daycare, cheap-o. I say this as a female fed supervisor with two young kids. Everyone I know who has daycare issues is trying to cheap out on child care. I would absolutely not approve your request.

Wow you’re a bad person. OP didn’t say anything specific in her question.

[Anonymous]

I believe that if you invoke FMLA you are *entitled* to use it on an intermittent basis such as you describe for up to 12 weeks in 12 months, see this handbook here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/fact-sheets/handbook-on-leave-and-workplace-flexibilities-for-childbirth-adoption-and-foster-care.pdf

However I know you are not allowed to do this at my agency outside of FMLA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay for daycare, cheap-o. I say this as a female fed supervisor with two young kids. Everyone I know who has daycare issues is trying to cheap out on child care. I would absolutely not approve your request.

Wow you’re a bad person. OP didn’t say anything specific in her question.

But money will solve OP's problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay for daycare, cheap-o. I say this as a female fed supervisor with two young kids. Everyone I know who has daycare issues is trying to cheap out on child care. I would absolutely not approve your request.

Dependent care may not be for a child and adult care can be harder to find and quite expensive.

[Anonymous]

I was able to do it w/o exhausting leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With my supervisor's support, I am trying to find some creative ways to stay in my job while dealing with a dependent care issue. I probably would not be allowed to officially go part time, and I don't need to drop down very many hours - I'm looking for 3 to 6 hours a week. Can I take 3 hours of LWOP a week, for a year or more? The OPM site doesn't say.

Can you invoke FMLA?

Then you can absolutely drop hours, and choose which hours to drop each week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With my supervisor's support, I am trying to find some creative ways to stay in my job while dealing with a dependent care issue. I probably would not be allowed to officially go part time, and I don't need to drop down very many hours - I'm looking for 3 to 6 hours a week. Can I take 3 hours of LWOP a week, for a year or more? The OPM site doesn't say.

Can you invoke FMLA?

Then you can absolutely drop hours, and choose which hours to drop each week.

Yes, but would you have to use leave or can it be LWOP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay for daycare, cheap-o. I say this as a female fed supervisor with two young kids. Everyone I know who has daycare issues is trying to cheap out on child care. I would absolutely not approve your request.

You sound like the women at my job who don't take care of their kids bc their job "forces" them to work late. Then when the kids are teenagers they wonder why they don't talk to them...well because the relationships start when the children are young. If OP wants to prioritize another area of her life other than work, she should be able to do it. Especially if she can still get her work done, which taking 3 hours a week shouldn't matter