In this subpart:

12-month eligibility period means the continuous 12-month period that begins on the first day of employment. For an employee who was eligible (or later determined to have been eligible) for disabled veteran leave as an employee of the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission and who subsequently commences employment covered by this subpart, the 12-month eligibility period is the period that began on the first day of employment with the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission (as determined under regulations issued by the Postmaster General to implement 5 U.S.C. 6329).

Agency means an agency of the Federal Government. In the case of an agency in the Executive branch, it means an Executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105. When the term “agency” is used in the context of an agency making determinations or taking actions, it means management officials of the agency who are authorized by the agency head to make the given determination or take the given action.

Employee has the meaning given that term in 5 U.S.C. 2105.

Employment means service as an employee during which the employee is covered by a leave system under which leave is charged for periods of absence. This excludes service in a position in which the employee is not covered by 5 U.S.C. 6329 due to application of another statutory authority.

First day of employment means the first day of service that qualifies as employment that occurs on the later of—

(1) The earliest date an employee is hired after the effective date of the employee's qualifying service-connected disability, as determined by the Veterans Benefits Administration; or

(2) The effective date of the employee's qualifying service-connected disability, as determined by the Veterans Benefits Administration.

Health care provider has the meaning given that term in §630.1202.

Hired means the action of—

(1) Receiving an initial appointment to a civilian position in the Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment under this subpart;

(2) Receiving a qualifying reappointment to a civilian position in the Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment under this subpart; or

(3) Returning to duty status in a civilian position in the Federal Government in which the service qualifies as employment under this subpart, when such return immediately followed a break in civilian duty (with the employee in continuous civilian leave status) to perform military service.

Medical certificate means a written statement signed by a health care provider certifying to the treatment of a veteran's qualifying service-connected disability.

Medical treatment means any activity carried out or prescribed by a health care provider to treat a veteran's qualifying service-connected disability.

Military service means “active military, naval, or air service” as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(24).

Qualifying reappointment means an appointment of a former employee of the Federal Government following a break in employment of at least 90 calendar days.

Qualifying service-connected disability means a veteran's service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more by the Veteran Benefits Administration, including a combined degree of disability of 30 percent or more that reflects the combined effect of multiple individual disabilities, which resulted in the award of disability compensation under title 38, United States Code. A temporary disability rating under 38 U.S.C. 1156 is considered a valid rating in applying this definition for as long as it is in effect.

Service-connected has the meaning given such term in 38 U.S.C. 101(16).

Veteran has the meaning given such term in 38 U.S.C. 101(2).

Veterans Benefits Administration means the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs.