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OPM sick leave conversion chart

OPM's sick leave conversion chart turns unused sick leave hours into the months and days of service added to your annuity computation. It is based on a 2,087-hour work year. Sick leave counts toward the amount of your annuity, not toward your eligibility to retire.

Source
opm.gov
Retrieved
2026-10-11
Effective
2026-10-11
Projections
None, historical and published figures only

What is this dataset?

It is the conversion chart OPM publishes in its CSRS/FERS Handbook for full-time employees: hours of unused sick leave down the side, with the months and days of credit they equal. Hours beyond a full year are reduced by 2,087 for each year first, and the remainder is read from the chart.

Look up your hours

835 hours: 4 months, 24 days of service credit

Source: OPM Retirement Facts 8. opm.gov, retrieved 2026-10-11, effective 2026-10-11. For an 8-hour day; OPM says to use the number closest to your hours. 2,087 hours equal one year.

Hours of unused sick leave by months (columns) and days (rows) of credit
Days0 mo1 mo2 mo3 mo4 mo5 mo6 mo7 mo8 mo9 mo10 mo11 mo
001743485226968701,0441,2171,3911,5651,7391,913
161803545287028751,0491,2231,3971,5711,7451,919
2121863605337078811,0551,2291,4031,5771,7511,925
3171913655397138871,0611,2351,4091,5831,7571,931
4231973715457198931,0671,2411,4151,5891,7621,936
5292033775517258991,0731,2461,4201,5941,7681,942
6352093835577319041,0781,2521,4261,6001,7741,948
7412153885627369101,0841,2581,4321,6061,7801,954
8462203945687429161,0901,2641,4381,6121,7861,960
9522264005747489221,0961,2701,4441,6181,7911,965
10582324065807549281,1021,2751,4491,6231,7971,971
11642384125867609331,1071,2811,4551,6291,8031,977
12702444175917659391,1131,2871,4611,6351,8091,983
13752494235977719451,1191,2931,4671,6411,8151,989
14812554296037779511,1251,2991,4731,6461,8201,994
15872614356097839571,1311,3041,4781,6521,8262,000
16932674416157899621,1361,3101,4841,6581,8322,006
17992734466207949681,1421,3161,4901,6641,8382,012
181042784526268009741,1481,3221,4961,6701,8442,018
191102844586328069801,1541,3281,5021,6751,8492,023
201162904646388129861,1601,3331,5071,6811,8552,029
211222964706448179911,1651,3391,5131,6871,8612,035
221283024756498239971,1711,3451,5191,6931,8672,041
231333074816558291,0031,1771,3511,5251,6991,8732,047
241393134876618351,0091,1831,3571,5311,7041,8782,052
251463194936678411,0151,1891,3621,5361,7101,8842,058
261513254996738461,0201,1941,3681,5421,7161,8902,064
271573315046788521,0261,2001,3741,5481,7221,8962,070
281623365106848581,0321,2061,3801,5541,7281,9022,075
291683425166908641,0381,2121,3861,5601,7331,9072,081

How do I read the chart?

  1. 01

    Take your hours

    Use the sick leave balance on your final Leave and Earnings Statement.

  2. 02

    Remove full years

    Subtract 2,087 hours for each full year and note the years.

  3. 03

    Find the remainder

    Look it up on the chart to read months and days.

  4. 04

    Add it to your service

    OPM then counts the combined total in full years and months.

2,087 hoursOne year of service creditOPM CSRS/FERS Handbook, retrieved 2026-07-05
About 174 hoursOne month, since 2,087 / 12 is about 174

What rule sets sick leave credit?

Unused sick leave at retirement is added to your creditable service when OPM computes your annuity, but it never counts toward the service needed for eligibility. It does not apply to deferred retirements. Because days left over after full months are dropped from the final total, a small amount of sick leave can be enough to complete a month. Part-time schedules use a prorated conversion.

Where to go next

Convert your own balance with the sick leave conversion calculator, then add it to the FERS pension estimator. The leave guide covers how sick and annual leave differ at retirement.

Not sure whether your balance completes another month?

FFEBA is an education organization. If you want someone to look at your own numbers, we can match you with a Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC®), a professional trained on federal benefits. The FRC designation is listed with FINRA. The first review is free, nothing is booked until you choose a time, and you are never obligated to work with anyone we introduce. Get matched with an FRC.

Questions about this data

How do you convert sick leave to retirement credit?

Find your hours on OPM's chart, which converts them to years, months and days based on a 2,087-hour year. Add that time to your actual service. OPM counts the total in full years and months and drops leftover days.

How many hours of sick leave make a year?

2,087 hours equal one year of service credit, under OPM's conversion based on the federal 2,087-hour work year.

Does FERS count 100 percent of sick leave?

FERS retirees receive sick leave credit in their annuity computation.

Can sick leave help me reach my MRA or 30 years?

No. Sick leave is added only after OPM confirms you are eligible, when it computes the annuity amount.

Reviewed by the FFEBA education team. Last reviewed October 2026.

Sources

  1. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, CSRS/FERS Handbook (unused sick leave credit and conversion chart), retrieved 2026-07-05

Every government figure on this page carries its source and retrieval date. Worked examples are educational estimates on the assumptions shown, not a projection of any person's benefit. FFEBA is an education organization, not a financial advisor.

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