We Make It Easy to Achieve Work/Life Balance

After your first year of working with us at the IRS, how you spend your time could be virtually up to you. You can plan your workday around your own schedule. Look forward to taking regular government holidays off to spend with your family and friends. And enjoy the convenience of our annual and sick leave programs, and more.

Work Schedules

Need to set your work schedule around other priorities in your life? No problem. Typically, you’ll have several options to choose from.

• Flexitour: Through this option, you’ll work an 8-hour day, setting your own start and end times (within a given range of hours). You can accumulate up to 24 “credit” hours (above the 8 regular hours per day) to use for time off, without having to use your annual leave time.
• Compressed Work Schedules: Available in most locations, these options offer unique workweeks. Please note: This benefit is only available in some offices, after completing one year of training.
• 4/10 Option: Work four 10-hour days per week. You’ll receive two days off per pay period (which is two weeks).
• 5/4/9 Option: Work eight 9-hour days and one 8-hour day. You’ll receive one day off per pay period (which is two weeks).

Telework

Also referred to as “telecommuting,” “flexible workplace,” “remote work,” “virtual work,” and “mobile work,” telework is performed outside of the traditional on-site work environment. As an IRS employee, you can discuss this work opportunity with your manager to determine if you will be permitted to regularly conduct your job duties at home or another work site that is more convenient to you. The opportunity to participate in this program depends on your job position and the type of work assignments involved.

Annual Leave

During each pay period, you’ll accrue your Annual Leave (paid time off) according to the number of years of your government service. And, you may carry forward up to 240 hours of annual leave to the next leave year.

• For up to 3 years of service, you’ll earn: four hours per pay period.
• For 3 to 15 years of service, you’ll earn: six hours per pay period.
• For more than 15 years of service, you’ll earn: eight hours per pay period. This total is more than five weeks of paid vacation time off per year.

Sick Leave

It’s available when you need it, accrued in the amount of four hours off per pay period. In fact, there is no limit to the amount of sick leave you may accumulate during your federal career. Plus, you may also carry forward your sick leave to the next leave year.

Holiday Leave

There are a few days you can count on having off each year. And if the President declares other holidays in recognition of specific events, you’ll get those off, too. The following 10 paid federal holidays are yours to enjoy each year:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
• President’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Leave-Sharing Programs

Sometimes, situations come up that may require you to take some extra time off from work. Or, you may find that you don’t need all the time off you’ve accrued. To help ensure that all of our employees have the time off that they need, we offer two voluntary programs:

• IRS Leave Bank: Open enrollment for this program is conducted twice a year. All you have to do is complete an enrollment form and donate the annual leave amount you earn in one two-week pay period. Once you are enrolled, if you have a medical emergency, such as illness or caring for a sick family member, you may use the IRS Leave Bank, even when you have exhausted your available leave.
• Government-Wide Leave Transfer Program: Through this program, you may donate your annual leave to federal employees in other agencies. To qualify to receive leave, your application indicating a personal or family medical emergency, including maternity situations, must be officially approved. Membership in the IRS Leave Bank program is not required.