5 U.S.C. § 6305 — Home leave; leave for Chiefs of Missions; leave for crews of vessels

(a) After 24 months of continuous service outside the United States—or sooner if the Government ends the assignment for its convenience—the employee^* may receive leave under the President's rules, up to 1 week for every 4 months of that service. This is separate from other leave under this subchapter. The leave: (1) must be used in the United States, or, if the employee lives outside the employment area, in a United States territory or possession, including Puerto Rico; (2) can accumulate without the limit in section 6304(b); and (3) cannot be used as terminal leave or converted into a lump-sum payment. (b) The President may authorize a chief of mission who is excluded from this subchapter by section 6301(2)(xii) to take leave in the United States or its territories or possessions. This leave is not a leave system and cannot be converted into a lump-sum payment. (c) An officer, crew member, or other employee serving on an oceangoing vessel during an extended voyage may receive leave under Office of Personnel Management rules at a rate of no more than 2 days for each 30 calendar days of service, separate from other leave under this subchapter. The leave: (1) can accumulate without the limit in section 6304(b); (2) cannot be converted into a lump-sum payment, except that a civil-service mariner of the Military Sealift Command temporarily promoted aboard ship may be paid the difference between the temporary and permanent pay rates for leave earned under this section and section 6303 but not used during the temporary promotion, when that promotion ends; and (3) cannot be used as terminal leave except in special or emergency circumstances set by Office regulations. (d) For a Defense Department officer, crew member, or other employee serving on an oceangoing vessel during an extended voyage, the rule at the start of subsection (c) uses “7 calendar days” instead of “30 calendar days.”