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Federal sick leave conversion chart

Convert unused hours with OPM’s complete 2,087-hour chart.

Convert sick-leave hours

Enter a whole-hour balance.

Commas allowed; no fractions or negatives.

Your conversion appears here.

Complete 2,087-hour conversion chart

Find the next listed hour value at or above your remainder. The column gives months and the row gives additional days.

Full 2,087-hour sick-leave chart with days in rows and service months in columns
Days0 mo.1 mo.2 mo.3 mo.4 mo.5 mo.6 mo.7 mo.8 mo.9 mo.10 mo.11 mo.
001743485226968701,0441,2171,3911,5651,7391,913
161803545287018751,0491,2231,3971,5711,7451,919
2121863595337078811,0551,2291,4031,5771,7511,925
3171913655397138871,0611,2351,4091,5831,7571,930
4231973715457198931,0671,2411,4151,5881,7621,936
5292033775517258991,0721,2461,4201,5941,7681,942
6352093835577309041,0781,2521,4261,6001,7741,948
7412143885627369101,0841,2581,4321,6061,7801,954
8462203945687429161,0901,2641,4381,6121,7861,959
9522264005747489221,0961,2701,4441,6171,7911,965
10582324065807549281,1011,2751,4491,6231,7971,971
11642384125867599331,1071,2811,4551,6291,8031,977
12702434175917659391,1131,2871,4611,6351,8091,983
13752494235977719451,1191,2931,4671,6411,8151,988
14812554296037779511,1251,2991,4721,6461,8201,994
15872614356097839571,1301,3041,4781,6521,8262,000
16932674416157889621,1361,3101,4841,6581,8322,006
17992724466207949681,1421,3161,4901,6641,8382,012
181042784526268009741,1481,3221,4961,6701,8442,017
191102844586328069801,1541,3281,5011,6751,8492,023
201162904646388129861,1591,3331,5071,6811,8552,029
211222964706438179911,1651,3391,5131,6871,8612,035
221283014756498239971,1711,3451,5191,6931,8672,041
231333074816558291,0031,1771,3511,5251,6991,8732,046
241393134876618351,0091,1831,3571,5301,7041,8782,052
251463194936678411,0151,1881,3621,5361,7101,8842,058
261513254996728461,0201,1941,3681,5421,7161,8902,064
271573305046788521,0261,2001,3741,5481,7221,8962,070
281623365106848581,0321,2061,3801,5541,7281,9012,075
291683425166908641,0381,2121,3861,5591,7331,9072,081

For balances above 2,087 hours, count one full service year for each 2,087 hours and use this chart for the remainder. The chart scrolls inside its own region on narrow screens.

What the conversion means

The chart measures potential computation credit. Your agency and OPM determine whether it belongs in a payable annuity.

Rule snapshot
Reviewed
Primary sources
Official OPM handbook and benefits guidance
Conversion basis
2,087 hours = 1 service year
01

Use the next higher chart value

When the exact balance is missing, move to the next listed number. OPM's 1,500-hour example therefore uses 1,501 hours.

02

Keep eligibility service separate

Unused sick leave cannot satisfy a minimum age-and-service rule and does not increase high-3 pay.

03

Combine residual service days first

OPM adds converted sick-leave days to other residual service days, carries complete months, then drops the final remainder.

04

Confirm the retirement path

Immediate, postponed and true deferred annuities can treat unused sick leave differently. Use the matching FERS or CSRS calculation.

Sick leave conversion questions

How do I convert federal sick leave into retirement service?

Use the 2,087-hour chart in OPM's CSRS/FERS Handbook, Chapter 50. For a balance that does not appear exactly, OPM instructs users to select the next higher listed chart value. Each 2,087 hours adds one service year; the remainder converts to months and days.

How much retirement service is 1,500 hours of sick leave?

OPM's worked example converts 1,500 hours to 8 months and 19 days. Because 1,500 is not printed on the chart, the next higher listed value—1,501 hours—is used.

Can unused sick leave make me eligible to retire?

No. Unused sick leave can add service for an annuity computation after you qualify under the applicable retirement rules. It cannot satisfy an age-and-service eligibility threshold or increase your high-3 average salary.

Is unused sick leave counted in a deferred retirement?

A true deferred FERS or CSRS annuity generally excludes unused sick-leave credit. OPM treatment can differ for a postponed MRA+10 annuity, so use the retirement calculator that matches your coverage and retirement path rather than applying this chart alone.

Why can final retirement service differ from this conversion?

The chart converts sick leave to service days, but OPM combines those days with residual days from other creditable service before dropping a final partial month. Your agency also confirms the eligible balance, work schedule, coverage and retirement path.

Does the 2,087-hour chart apply to every work schedule?

It is the ordinary conversion basis for an employee whose sick leave is charged under a normal tour. OPM Chapter 20 describes a different elapsed-time method for uncommon tours that charge more or less than eight hours for one day of absence.

Verify the rules with OPM

OPM CSRS/FERS Handbook, Chapter 50Chart 2, the 2,087-hour conversion table, next-higher-value rule and official worked examples.OPM CSRS/FERS Handbook, Chapter 20Creditable civilian service rules, sick-leave treatment and uncommon-tour distinctions.OPM FERS creditable serviceCurrent summary of unused sick leave as computation service rather than eligibility service.OPM Benefits Administration Letter 18-103FERS treatment when sick-leave credit brings computation service to the 20-year 1.1% threshold.OPM Benefits Administration Letter 10-101Treatment of unused sick leave when an eligible MRA+10 annuity is postponed.

Continue your retirement estimate

FERS retirement calculatorCombine eligible sick-leave credit with FERS service, age and annuity-path rules.CSRS retirement calculatorModel regular CSRS service and see where unused sick leave enters the computation.Federal retirement date calculatorCompare possible separation and annuity dates without using sick leave for eligibility.