About Religious Comp Time (RCT)

In compliance with OPM final regulations released with 5 CFR PART 550, RIN 3206-AL55, Religious Compensatory Time (RCT) can be earned and used by employees.

In the application, the regulations are implemented as described below.

  • When an employee requests RCT, the employee must provide the name and a description of the religious observance; the dates and times that the employee will be absent; and the dates and times that the employee will make up for the absence.

  • Religious Comp Time Used must be earned back within 13 pay periods of use. For example, if the employee incurs a negative RCT balance in pay period 1901, the employee must earn the hours back by pay period 1914.

In the application, roles interact with RCT in different ways.

  • Employees or their Timekeepers enter RCT transactions in timesheets.

  • Employees or their Timekeepers submit premium pay requests to earn RCT.

  • Employees or their Timekeepers submit leave requests to use RCT.

  • Authorized roles (for example, Timekeepers, Master Timekeepers, and HR Administrators) manually adjust RCT balances.

  • Master Timekeepers can override validation errors on timesheets that trigger PPV_US_299 so that the timesheet can be processed. The PPV errors continue to display in the employee's timesheet until the employee earns the time or an authorized role makes a manual adjustment.

  • Administrators can adjust the payroll provider validation rules that control the pay back period, specifically, PPV_US_298 "Religious comp time must be earned back after a certain number of pay periods (error)" and PPV_US_299 "Religious comp time must be earned back after a certain number of pay periods (warning)".

  • Administrators can limit the use of RCT transaction codes to employees with the proper pay plans by enabling check boxes on the Transaction Code Details page.

  • Administrators can prevent employees from taking RCT if the RCT balance is insufficient by enabling PPV_NFC_60 "If Religious Comp Time Used is entered on the timesheet and total hours entered is greater then the 'Religious Comp' balance forward, generate this message." The validation rule is disabled by default.

Adjusting the Religious Comp Time payback period

By default, the RCT payback period is specified as 13. The system enforces the payback period with these pay provider rules:

  • PPV_US_298 "Religious comp time must be earned back after a certain number of pay periods (error)." This rule displays on the timesheet as an error (by default) on the pay period that Religious Comp Time Used hours are due to be paid back. The Administrator can adjust the value in the Religious Comp Time Payback Pay Periods text box. The default value is 13. Type any number from 0 to 999.

  • PPV_US_299 "Religious comp time must be earned back after a certain number of pay periods (warning)." This rule displays on the timesheet as a warning (by default) on the pay period(s) before Religious Comp Time Used hours are due to be paid back. The Administrator can adjust the value in the Religious Comp Time Payback Pay Periods text box. The default value is 13. Type any number from 0 to 999. The Administrator can also adjust the Number of Pay Periods Prior to Payback Period to Start Warning. The default value is 1. Type any number from 0 - 999.

To adjust PPV_US_298, take these steps:

  1. Click Common Set Up > Rule Management from the main menu. The Rule Management page opens.

  2.  Click the Pay Provider Validation link. The page refreshes with the pay provider validation rule set.

  3.  Select PPV_US_298.

    • Click the Id drop-down list, select PPV_US_298, then click Search. The rule displays.

  4. Type the new value in the Religious Comp Time Payback Pay Periods text box.

  5.  Click Save. A success message displays.

To adjust PPV_US_299, take these steps:

  1. Click Common Set Up > Rule Management from the the main menu. The Rule Management page opens.

  2.  Click the Pay Provider Validation link. The page refreshes with the pay provider validation rule set.

  3. Select PPV_US_299.

    • Click the Id drop-down list, select PPV_US_299, then click Search. The rule displays.

  4. Type the new value in the Religious Comp Time Payback Pay Periods text box.

  5.  Optionally, change the Number of Pay Periods Prior to Payback Period to Start Warning.

  6. Click Save. A success message displays.

Limiting the use of 32-Comp Time Worked Religious or 60-Comp Time Used Religious

To limit the use of each transaction code, Administrators may adjust the transaction code 32-Comp Time Worked Religious or 60-Comp Time Used Religious on the Transaction Code Details page. Take the following steps to limit the use of the transaction code:

  1. Click Common Set Up > Transaction Code Management on the main menu. The Transaction Code Management page opens.

  2.  Click Edit Codes. The Edit Codes page opens.

  3. Click the NFC TCode link that identifies the transaction code. The Transaction Details page opens.

  4. Click the Payplans & Tours tab.

  5. Under Payplan, clear the check box on the row that identifies the pay plan you want to exclude.

  6.  Under Tour of Duty, clear the check box on the row that identifies the tour you want to exclude.

  7.  Click Save. A success message displays.