Recipients are Leave Bank members who are affected by personal or family medical emergencies and are projected to exhaust their available paid leave.

Eligibility requirements

To receive leave from the Leave Bank, you must:

• Be an NIH Leave Bank member for the current leave year.
• Experience a qualifying personal or family medical emergency. 
• Provide medical documentation, if required, and complete the NIH Leave Bank Recipient Application Package (see below).
• Be projected to exhaust all available paid leave and be in a non-pay status for at least 24 hours (prorated for part-time employees).
• Receive approval from the Leave Bank Board.
• Use all accrued sick and annual leave before any Leave Bank leave can be applied to your timecard.

For information on Birth and Recuperation eligibility under the Leave Bank, please visit the Birth and Recuperation page.

Yearly Leave Bank caps

There is a maximum number of leave hours an employee may receive per year from the Leave Bank. These caps are based on medical emergency type:

• 480 leave hours for personal medical emergencies.
• 480 leave hours for family medical emergencies.
• 960 total hours of leave received within the membership year.

Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP)

If you are participating in VLTP and are a current Leave Bank member, you are also eligible to apply to be a Leave Bank recipient.

Any approved Leave Bank hours will be applied to the timecard before VLTP hours can be used. VLTP hours received will be included when determining leave need under the Leave Bank and are considered available paid leave.

For more information on how the Leave Bank and VLTP interact, visit the Leave Sharing Comparisons page.

Applicant steps

1. Determine eligibility
2. Determine if you need medical documentation
3. Complete the following forms:
   • Fax Cover Sheet (NIH 2941)
   • Leave Recipient Application  (NIH 2940)
   • Authorization for Disclosure of Information (NIH 2923)
   • Confidential Medical Documentation

   • Recipient Application Checklist - Use this checklist to help guide you through completing the application forms. It is for personal use only and does not need to be submitted with the above forms.

     Submit application no later than 30 calendar days following the termination of your medical emergency via fax at (301) 480-2579 or email to leavebank@od.nih.gov. It is recommended you submit your application 3-4 weeks prior to the start of your medical emergency, if possible.

     Please note, the Leave Bank Office will begin accepting recipient applications for the 2025 membership year (applications that begin on or after January 12, 2025) following the end of open enrollment on December 12, 2024.

4. Review process
5. Steps after approval

Other actions

• Submit an extension application
• Request an appeal

Questions?

Email leavebank@od.nih.gov or call (301) 443-8393.