Garces

**Federal Employee's Leave Time Could Affect Disability Retirement Benefits** This case involved a federal employee who received 8 hours of paid annual leave on October 5, 2016, and later applied for disability retirement benefits. The question was whether giving her that leave time was a mistake by her agency, the Office of Personnel Management, and if so, whether correcting that error would change her eligibility for disability retirement. The Merit Systems Protection Board decided to send the case back to a regional office for further review. They need to determine whether the 8 hours of paid leave was given by mistake and, if it was an error, whether taking it back would affect the employee's ability to qualify for disability retirement benefits. **What this means for workers:** Federal employees should carefully track their leave balances and understand how different types of leave might impact their eligibility for benefits like disability retirement. Even small administrative errors—like receiving 8 hours of leave incorrectly—can potentially affect major benefit decisions later. If you're a federal worker considering disability retirement, review your leave records with HR to ensure everything is accurate, as these details could influence your eligibility.