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

Press Release

Governor Phil Bredesen today signed Executive Order #60, continuing a policy that ensures executive branch employees ordered to active military duty are not financially constrained by lower military pay while they are in service. Governor Bredesen has issued this order every year since taking office.

Executive Order #60 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 and Iraqi Freedom.

“I have always been extremely proud of the service these men and women provide for our country,” said Bredesen. “They and their families make tremendous sacrifices for us every day, and we must do everything in our power to ease their burden. This is a policy I have felt strongly about since my first year in office, and I'm pleased to show our appreciation to our soldiers in this way.”

For executive branch employees called to active duty, the state of Tennessee pays 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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