    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [May 16, 2000]
    [Pages 946-947]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Assistance for Federal Employees Affected by the Fires in
    the Los Alamos Area
    May 16, 2000

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    Subject: Assistance for Federal Employees Affected by the Fires in the
    Los Alamos Area

        I am deeply concerned about the devastating losses suffered by many
    as a result of the fires in the Los Alamos, New Mexico, area. Many 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 to excuse from duty without charge to leave or loss of pay
    those Federal civilian employees who are affected by the fires in the
    Los Alamos area and their aftermath and who can be spared from their
    usual responsibilities. Specifically, I request that excused absence be
    granted to employees who are needed for emergency law enforcement,
    relief, or cleanup efforts authorized by Federal, State, or other
    officials having jurisdiction and employees who are prevented from
    reporting for work or faced with a personal emergency because of the
    fires and their aftermath.
        I am also authorizing the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to
    determine whether there is a need to establish an emergency leave
    transfer program to assist employees affected by this major disaster. An
    emergency leave transfer program 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 fires in
    the Los Alamos area and who need additional time off for recovery. If
    the need for donated annual leave becomes evident, I direct the OPM to
    establish the emergency leave transfer program and provide additional
    information to agencies on the program's administration.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    [[Page 947]]

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this memorandum.