If you’re considering a career in government service, one of the many perks you may be wondering about is vacation time. How many days off do government employees get? The answer varies depending on a few factors, including your length of service and your specific agency or department.
General Schedule (GS) Employees
Most federal employees fall under the General Schedule (GS) pay scale, which includes a range of grades from GS-1 to GS-15. Employees in this category earn vacation time based on their length of service as follows:
- Less than 3 years: 13 days per year
- 3-15 years: Between 13 and 26 days per year, depending on length of service
- More than 15 years: 26 days per year
It’s worth noting that some agencies may offer a slightly different vacation schedule for their GS employees. For example, the Department of Veterans Affairs allows its employees to earn up to 8 hours of leave per pay period (which equates to roughly 26 days per year) regardless of their length of service.
Senior Executive Service (SES) Employees
Senior Executive Service (SES) employees are high-level officials who work directly for the federal government. They earn vacation time based on their years of service as follows:
- Less than 3 years: 13 days per year
- 3-15 years: Between 13 and 26 days per year, depending on length of service
- More than 15 years: 31 days per year
Congressional Employees
Congressional staff members are not considered federal employees and therefore do not receive standard federal benefits like vacation time. Instead, each Member of Congress sets his or her own policies regarding staff leave. Some congressional staffers may be entitled to generous vacation packages, while others may receive very little time off.
Other Types of Leave
In addition to vacation time, federal employees may also be eligible for other types of leave, including:
Sick Leave: Full-time federal employees earn 13 days of sick leave per year, regardless of their length of service.
Holidays: Federal employees are entitled to 10 paid holidays per year, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Family and Medical Leave: Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for certain family or medical reasons.
Conclusion
So how many vacation days do government employees get? The answer is that it depends on a few factors like your length of service and agency or department.
However, most federal employees can expect to earn between 13 and 26 days of vacation time per year. Remember that this is just one aspect of the benefits package available to government workers – sick leave, holidays, and other types of leave can also make a significant difference in your work-life balance.