Suitability determinations used to be something you dealt with once — before your first day on the job — but not anymore. OPM's new regulations expand the suitability process to reach current federal employees for their post-appointment conduct, add new grounds for action (including tax delinquency and refusal to sign OPM's forthcoming non-disclosure agreement), and put debarment on the table long after you've already been hired. Here's what changed, why it matters, and what could be coming next.

The Office of Personnel Management just announced a new non-disclosure agreement for federal employees — but is it actually new? Federal workers are already bound by a web of laws and regulations prohibiting the disclosure of non-public, government information. So, what is OPM really after? The answer may lie in the fine print, and it has serious implications for whistleblowers, free speech, and the future of federal employment protections. Here's what you need to know.