Leaving federal employment, taking unpaid leave and entering military duty are different status changes. Start with the agency's actual personnel record and ask which rule governs the coverage. Do not assume that an insurance deduction stopping means the same thing in every situation.
Build the status history first
OPM describes FEGLI continuation for up to 12 months in ordinary nonpay status, followed by a 31-day extension and conversion rights when applicable. Workers' compensation situations may have different continuation conditions. Ask the office to identify the exact category rather than treating every absence as ordinary leave without pay.
A short return to pay status does not necessarily reset the nonpay clock. OPM's counting guidance distinguishes periods shorter than four consecutive months. Request an agency calculation using the full sequence of pay and nonpay periods.
Keep each status and notice on the timeline
| Event | Evidence to obtain | Question to settle |
|---|---|---|
| Nonpay status begins | Agency personnel and payroll dates | Which continuation period applies? |
| Temporary return | Pay-status history | Does this reset or continue the existing clock? |
| Separation | Official separation date | What insurance stops and what extension applies? |
| Conversion notice | Actual notice and receipt date | Which request, application and payment dates apply? |
| Military duty | Agency election instructions | Is an additional continuation election available? |
| Return to service | New appointment and eligibility record | What resumes, and what new election rights exist? |
Ask the office to explain any inconsistency between a personnel action, deduction and insurance notice. Preserve the original dates and correction history rather than overwriting them with a guessed end date.
Treat military continuation as a separate election
OPM describes an additional military-duty continuation period under specified conditions, with an election and full premium responsibility for the additional period. It is not an automatic extension for every employee on unpaid leave. Obtain the current agency instructions before the applicable election deadline.
Record who receives payment, how the amount is calculated and what confirms continuation. Keep military service eligibility and ordinary nonpay calculations on separate lines so neither answer is applied to the wrong period.
Review conversion while the notice is current
Conversion is a time-sensitive route tied to qualifying termination of group coverage. The regulation distinguishes it from voluntary cancellation. Ask for the actual notice, coverage available to convert, application instructions and applicable deadlines. A new medically underwritten policy quote is a separate process.
If the notice has not arrived or an address changed, contact the responsible office promptly. Do not assume that a missing notice guarantees an extension or that a later return to service will repair a missed decision. Obtain an individual determination for unusual timing.
Confirm the record after returning
When employment resumes, ask which Basic and Optional coverage is in force, which date controls and whether the break changes election rights. Check the accepted insurance record against payroll once the action is processed. A return appointment alone does not explain every component's coverage status.
For retirement-specific questions, use the FEGLI retirement timeline. For another contract under consideration, use the quote comparison worksheet. This guide does not elect conversion, establish a military entitlement or determine the coverage of an individual absence.
Browse federal benefits, retirement and insurance topics or read how we prepare and check our guides.
Sources
- OPM: FEGLI during leave without pay, checked November 3, 2026
- OPM: Counting nonpay periods for FEGLI, checked November 3, 2026
- OPM: FEGLI and active military duty, checked November 3, 2026
- eCFR: FEGLI termination and conversion, checked November 3, 2026
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