Federal agencies must now track how long they put employees on paid leave

Federal agencies now have clear rules for how they use paid administrative leave, investigative leave, and notice leave. This means agencies must record and report how long employees are on these types of leave, making the process more transparent.

Before this rule, federal agencies could put employees on paid leave for long periods without much oversight. This often meant employees were paid to do nothing while investigations dragged on, or simply to wait out their notice period. The new rules force agencies to track these leaves, which could lead to shorter leave times and more accountability for how taxpayer money is spent.