day, the rail carrier employee may use the paid sick time as the time is earned. A rail carrier may, at the discretion of the rail carrier, loan paid sick time to a rail carrier employee for use by such rail carrier employee in advance of the rail carrier employee earning such sick time as provided in this subsection and may permit use before the 60th day of employment. (4) Carryover (A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), paid sick time earned under this section shall carry over from 1 year to the next. (B) Construction This section shall not be construed to require a rail carrier to permit a rail carrier employee to earn more than 56 hours of earned paid sick time in a calendar year. (5) Rail carriers with existing policies Any rail carrier with a paid leave policy who makes available an amount of paid leave that is sufficient to meet the requirements of this section and that may be used for the same purposes and under the same conditions and procedures as the purposes, conditions, and procedures described in this section shall not be required to permit a rail carrier employee to earn additional paid sick time under this section. (6) Construction Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring financial or other reimbursement to a rail carrier employee from a rail carrier upon the rail carrier employee’s termination, resignation, retirement, or other separation from employment for earned paid sick time that has not been used. (7) Reinstatement If a rail carrier employee is separated from employment with a rail carrier and is rehired, within 12 months after that separation, by the same rail carrier, the rail carrier shall reinstate the rail carrier employee’s previously earned paid sick time. The rail carrier employee shall be entitled to use the earned paid sick time and earn additional paid sick time at the recommencement of employment with the rail carrier. (8) Prohibition A rail carrier may not require, as a condition of providing paid sick time under this section, that the rail