A decade after the OPM data breaches exposed the personal records of millions of federal employees, the free identity theft protection tied to that coverage is expiring — not on one fixed date, but individually, as each person reaches 10 years from their enrollment. A new bill in Congress, the RECOVER PII Act, would replace that temporary coverage with lifetime protection and a higher insurance floor. Here’s what’s ending, what the bill would change, and what to do in the meantime. more…

Both agencies have stopped approving advanced annual and sick leave — a benefit that’s functioned as informal short-term disability coverage for employees facing a medical emergency before they’ve banked enough leave to cover it. The bigger question for anyone eyeing a retirement date: if you’ve ever used advanced leave, you could owe it back out of your final paycheck. This guide breaks down what OPM’s rules actually require, what alternatives remain, and what it means to check your own leave balance now — before you’re the one who needs it. more…

Federal employees could get 12 weeks of paid leave to cover a serious illness, care for a sick family member, or handle military-family needs, under a bill Congress. more…