808 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



3. Inspection of records by chief clerk of department.— All records of leaves 

 of absence shall be kept up to date and shall be accessible at all times for inspection by 

 the chief clerk of the department; there may also be required periodical reports to 

 the chief clerk of the dejjartment. 



4. Interpretation of regulations. — Questions of interpretation of regulations 

 governing leaves of absence, and questions not covered by these regulations, except 

 questions of law, sliall be submitted to the chief clerk of the department for decision. 



5. Applications for leave. — Applications for leave of absence shall be made upon 

 printed forms a})plical)le to all bureaus of the department. A supply of these forms 

 will be furnished by the chief clerk of the department, and are intended for use in 

 making applications for leaves of absence. 



6. Form of application. — The form of application for leave of absence shall specify 

 the beginning and ending (both dates inclusive) of the period for which such leave ia 

 desired. It must contain memoranda of all previous absences of the applicant during 

 the calendar year then current, which memoranda shall be prepared and signed or 

 initialed by the time clerk of the bureau. The application must bear the signature of 

 the applicant, the recommendation of the chief of division or ofTice in which the appli- 

 cant 18 ser\'iiig, and the approval of tlic chief of bureau. 



When the application for leave is on account of sickness for a period of 2 days or less, 

 and is not accompanied by a certificate of attending physician, the certificate on the 

 back of the form must be made by applicant and sworn to before a notary public; if 

 the application for leave is on account of sickness for a period exceeding 2 days, the 

 certificate of the attending physician on the back of the form must be secured and cer- 

 tificate of notary is not required. 



The form shall provide for approval by the chief clerk of the department for sick 

 leave exceeding 15 days, previously granted, or leave without pay. 



7. Form of application for annual leave for less than a day. — Absence for a 

 period less than a day may be granted upon an application form bearing the signature 

 of the applicant, recommendation of the official in charge, and the approval of the 

 chief or chief clerk of the bureau. A supply of these forms will be furnished by the 

 chief clerk of the department. 



8. Record of absence. — A record of leaves of absence for each employee shall be 

 kept by the time clerks of the bureaus, and such record shall be in the form of printed 

 cards showing the name of the employee, the bureau in which he serves, and the date 

 of reporting for duty. They are designed to show at a glance the total amount of leaves 

 of absence granted, by days, months, and totals. A supply of these forms will be fur- 

 nished by the chief clerk of the department, and shnll be used uniformly by all bureaus. 



All applications for leave when granted shall be entered by the time clerk of each 

 bureau on the card records of absence, and the leave slips when completed, showing 

 return to duty, shall be placed therewith; and all such records shall be carefully pre- 

 served for a period of 3 years. 



All other systems of time records in use in the department shall be discontinued. 



9. New employees. — Regular employees who have been in the service of the 

 department for less than a year and served a probationary period of 6 months, including 

 those reinstated, may be granted annual and sick leave of absence at the rate of 2| 

 days per month of service: Provided, hoivever, That persons transferred from other 

 departments, or from one bureau or office to another within this department, may 

 be allowed transfer of accrued leave upon statement received from the department 

 or bureau from which the transfer is made showing the amount of leave due at the 

 time of transfer. 



10. Probationary employees. — Probationary employees in Washington, after 

 service of 2 months, may be granted leaves of absence at the rate of 2§ days a month, 

 and probationary employees outside of Washington at the rate of IJ days a month, 

 computed from "the date of beginning of appointment. 



11. Temporary employees. — Temporary employees, after service of 2 months, 

 may be granted leave of absence at the rate of 2^ days a month, computed from the 

 beginning of the third month. 



12. Per diem employees. — Per diem employees shall not be granted leave with 

 pay if their appointments state salary "for days actually employed," or if their 

 employment is temporary. If per diem rate is simply a measure of salary and they 

 are regularly and continuously employed without limitation, they are entitled to 

 leave the same as those with annual or monthly rates of salary. 



13. Allowance of leave confined to current year. — Leaves of absence are 

 not cumulative; employees who are unable to avail themselves of leave within the 

 calendar year will not be entitled to it, or any portion thereof, in a subsequent year; 

 nor will leave be granted to be used in one year and charged to a subsequent year. 



