Governor Bredesen Continues Special Leave For State Employees Called to Active Duty

Press Release

Governor Bredesen Continues Special Leave For State Employees Called To Active Duty

Governor Phil Bredesen today signed Executive Order #58, continuing a policy that ensures that state employees ordered to active military duty aren't financially constrained by lower military pay while they're in service.

Executive Order #58 extends for another year the special leave with partial pay granted to executive branch employees who are Tennessee National Guard and Reserve members serving in operations undertaken in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and other operations, including Enduring Freedom, Joint Endeavor, Noble Eagle, Iraqi Freedom and Operation Jumpstart.

"I recognize the tremendous strain that active military duty can place on a soldier's family and career," said Bredesen. "I am extremely proud of the service of these state employees to our country, and we must do everything in our power to ease their burden while realizing that we can repay only a fraction of the sacrifice they and their families make for us."

For these state employees called to active duty, the state of Tennessee pays up to $1,000 per month to supplement the difference between their regular state salary and their respective Guard or Reserve pay. In addition, employees continue to accrue sick leave, annual leave, longevity pay and service towards retirement. The state has maximum allowable accruals on leave, but time accrued above the maximum is counted as time served toward the employee's retirement date.

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