The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued their guidance on the Emergency Paid Leave (EPL) provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act: https://www.chcoc.gov/content/covid-19-emergency-paid-leave.
Emergency Paid Leave is a temporary benefit that entitles employees to up to 600 hours of additional paid leave if they are unable to work due to one of eight qualifying circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. EPL is only available for use from March 11, 2021 through September 30, 2021 or until the fund is exhausted, whichever occurs first. Employees must complete an EPL request form and must sign an agreement acknowledging that the EPL is conditional based upon fund availability. Use of EPL reduces creditable service for purposes of calculating the employee’s retirement annuity.