This year the Inauguration Day holiday is observed concurrently with the MLK holiday. Image: Mark Van Scyoc/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday January 20 will be treated for pay and benefits purposes as a regular holiday, even though this year that date is also Inauguration Day, OPM has said.
Inauguration Day is normally treated as a holiday only for employees in the Washington, D.C. area, where excused absence is granted due to traffic and security considerations. This year, “the Inauguration Day holiday is observed concurrently with the MLK holiday. For any work schedule that includes Monday as a regularly scheduled workday, there are no “in-lieu-of” holidays in connection with the January 20, 2025, holidays,” says a memo on chcoc.gov
“Employees whose work schedule includes Monday will generally be excused from work on Monday, January 20th. Those that cannot be excused from work will generally receive holiday premium pay for “holiday work hours,” which are defined as basic/nonovertime tour of duty hours on a holiday,” it says. Holiday premium pay is an add-on equal to an employee’s pay rate, meaning double pay for that time.
However, employees who receive annual premium pay for standby duty and firefighters under certain special overtime provisions are not entitled to paid holiday time off or holiday premium pay.
“Full-time employees for whom Monday, January 20th, is not a regular workday within their established tour of duty are generally entitled to an “in-lieu-of” holiday,” it adds.
Another memo addresses pay, leave and benefit considerations for political appointees whose resignations are effective at noon Eastern time on Inauguration Day.
A separate memo, also at chcoc.gov, reminds agencies that no more than 10 percent of SES members government-wide—and no more than 25 percent in any given agency—may be political appointees and addresses the procedures and limits on making transition-related temporary noncareer appointments in the SES and under Schedule C.
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