You should double check that you are understanding correctly what they told you. My agency has pretty strict ethics rules yet it would be pretty unusual to have to recuse from nearly all duties, unless you are at a financial regulatory agency and trying to get in with the main companies you regulate, perhaps. Even then, they ought to be able to find you other duties. It's not like no one has ever left before, so figure out who did so recently and contact them to ask how they did it.

I am looking to leave the federal government and our ethics rules are pretty strict. Ethics advised I may need to take leave if I’m recused from most of my job. I have 38 days (so about 1.5 months) of leave banked up. How do most people who have left the federal government handle this? Do you sign up for a ton of trainings to add to the time you’ll get paid in addition to your leave? Do you take LWOP? Or do you quit and hope you find a job? Any advice is helpful!