    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [May 6, 1999]
    [Pages 711-712]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Assistance for Federal Employees Affected by the Tornadoes
    in Oklahoma and Kansas
    May 6, 1999

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    Subject: Assistance for Federal Employees Affected by the Tornadoes in
    Oklahoma and Kansas

        I am deeply concerned about the devastating losses suffered by many
    as a result of the tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas. Multiple parts of
    the Federal Government have been mobilized to respond to this disaster.
        As part of this effort, I ask the heads of executive departments and
    agencies who have Federal civilian employees in designated disaster
    areas resulting from the tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas and their
    aftermath to use discretion to excuse from duty, without charge to leave
    or loss of pay, any such employee who is prevented from reporting for
    work or faced with a personal emergency because of this disaster and who
    can be spared from his or her usual responsibilities. This policy also
    should be applied to any employee who is needed for emergency law
    enforcement, relief, or clean-up efforts authorized by Federal, State,
    or other officials having jurisdiction.
        I am also directing the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to
    establish an emergency leave transfer program, which would permit
    employees in an executive agency to donate their unused annual leave for
    transfer to employees of the same or other agencies who were adversely
    affected by the tornadoes and who need

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    additional time off for recovery. In addition, I am directing OPM to
    provide additional information and assistance to agencies on the
    program's administration.

                                                          William J. Clinton