The 1981 tree was a 50 foot White Spruce from Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan. Image: Architect of the Capitol
Updated: President Biden on Thursday, December 19 issued an executive order closing the federal government on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th, leaving it up to the heads of departments and agencies to determine who should still report.
Federal employees commonly ask around this time of the year whether they will get extra time off without charge to leave around the holidays. An announcement is typically is made in mid-December—the precedent was in favor of at least some time off being granted this year.
When the Christmas Day holiday falls on a Wednesday as it does this year, policies have varied, with half-days off granted for the previous day in some years and full days off in some other years. (The same has been the case the day before the holiday falling on a Friday.)
Additional full days off most commonly are granted to create four-day weekends when the 25th falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday. In contrast, there typically is no grant of additional time off when the 25th falls on a Monday and the holiday is observed on that day, when it falls on a Sunday and the holiday day is the following day, or when it falls on a Saturday and the holiday day is the previous day.
During the first three years of his administration, President Biden has granted no extra time off around the holiday, as December 25 has fallen on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In any case, a grant of time off is at a President’s discretion and past practice is not binding. Also, even in years when extra time off was granted around Christmas, there was no such time off a week later for the New Year’s holiday.
Holiday Premium Pay to Federal Workers:
An employee who performs work on a holiday designated by a federal statue is entitled to holiday premium pay. That is pay at the rate of basic pay plus premium pay at a rate equal to the rate of the basic pay, for that holiday work which is not in excess of the scheduled tour of duty or overtime work.
An employee required to perform any work on a designated holiday is entitled to pay for at least two hours of holiday work. An employee who performs overtime work on a Sunday or a designated holiday is entitled to pay for that overtime.
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See also,
How Do Age and Years of Service Impact My Federal Retirement
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire