NPMHU – March 19, 2021
Please find linked below a copy of the above referenced memorandum from the Postal Service regarding the American Rescue Plan Act – Emergency Federal Employee Leave (EFEL). According to the Postal Service, this memorandum supplements the March 12, 2021, memorandum addressing the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – Emergency Federal Employee Leave (EFEL).Following the issuance of that memorandum, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) advised the Postal Service that OPM is not prepared to implement EFEL at this time. OPM is charged with administering the EFEL Fund (Fund) that will finance leave granted under the ARPA and, therefore is required to issue guidance covering how the leave is to be administered by covered agencies, including the Postal Service. Because of OPM’s need to finalize their guidance, the Postal Service is limited in its ability to fully implement EFEL at this time.
Notwithstanding, until such time as OPM finalizes its guidance on the administration of EFEL, the Postal Service will be observing the interim process described in this memorandum. We are continuing to work closely with OPM and hope that it will finalize its official guidance sometime within the next couple of weeks.