Bill Would Give Retirees Partial Pay for Unused Sick Leave

For example, a federal employee earning about $75,000 with 1,250 hours of sick leave saved up would receive a $4,000 lump-sum payment upon retirement under the Moran proposal, his office said.

Moran announced his proposal at a meeting of the Federal Managers Association yesterday. The bill has drawn support from the association and several other groups that represent executives, managers and supervisors in the government.

In a statement, Darryl Perkinson, president of the Federal Managers Association, said that "by placing a value on sick leave, FERS employees are encouraged to use their leave responsibly. As a result, the benefit to the government is increased productivity and morale, with minimal financial cost to taxpayers."

An aide to Moran said a bill will be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate. If the proposed benefit appears too expensive, it may be scaled back, the aide suggested.

Nancy H. Kichak, an associate director at the OPM, cautioned against jumping to conclusions that the different treatment of sick leave by the two retirement systems is behind the higher rate of use by FERS employees.

There are more women in FERS than in the older system, and it possible that women tend to use more sick leave because of family responsibilities, she said.

In addition, sick leave today can be used for more reasons than 20 years ago, she said. Employees may take sick leave to care for an ill child or family member, to provide time off for an adoption and for the funeral of a close family member.

"We're not attributing sick-leave usage being up to any particular thing," Kichak said. "Times are different."

Health Insurance Proposal

Children of federally employed parents lose their government-sponsored health insurance coverage at 22, but Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) would like to extend the maximum age for dependents to 25.

At a House hearing last week, Davis announced plans for legislation to change the age restriction in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. He said young adults are the fastest-growing age group among the uninsured, and that many 22-year-olds are in temporary positions and low-wage jobs and find it difficult to afford health care.

Raising the maximum age for dependent coverage "will increase worker morale" and help create "a more family-friendly environment for federal employees," Davis said.

Davis is chairman of the House federal workforce subcommittee.

Stephen Barr's e-mail address isbarrs@washpost.com.