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Advanced annual leave

USPS offers info for employees

Chart with leave data on background that shows group of diverse postal employees
This chart shows the leave section of a sample pay statement for a USPS employee. Because the employee has taken more leave than he or she earned, the earned annual leave balance is negative.

The Postal Service wants to ensure employees understand how advanced annual leave works.

Advanced annual leave describes the amount of annual leave that the organization “advances” to eligible employees at the beginning of each year.

If you’re a full-time, part-time regular or non-traditional full-time career employee, you receive advanced annual leave. This number is shown in the “AL Advanced” field of your pay statement.

Each pay period that you earn annual leave, the advanced annual leave amount goes down by the exact number of annual leave hours that you actually earn.

However, you don’t get paid for any advanced annual leave when you retire or leave your job. You’re only paid for the amount of leave that shows up in the “Earned Annual Leave Balance” field of your pay statement.

If your earned annual leave balance is negative, you’ll receive a bill for “overdrawn leave,” which means you’ve used more annual leave than you’ve earned.

If you’re planning to retire or leave USPS this year, the organization wants you to pay attention to your “Earned Annual Leave Balance.” Remember: If the number goes negative, the Postal Service will mail you an invoice to pay back your overdrawn leave.

USPS is distributing a stand-up talk on advanced annual leave this week. The organization wants managers and supervisors to deliver this talk to their employees to help them better understand the topic.

If you have questions, contact your immediate supervisor.

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