Benefits December 20, 2002

'Twas The Federal Working Day Before Christmas

December 20, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - While the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) says an official decision is still pending, it looks unlikely federal employees will have Christmas Eve off this year, according to a GOVEXEC.com report.

Reported by

Eric Hazard

Last year Federal employees enjoyed an extra day of vacation when the President issued an executive order on December 5 granting the day off. However, this year no such order has been seen, and according to a source at the OPM, the holiday day off is unlikely.

Historically, federal employees are only granted Christmas Eve off when it happens to fall on a Monday, as was seen in 2001. The last time federal employees received a December 24 ^th off that was not on a Monday, Eisenhower was in office. Since then Christmas Eve has fallen on a

Tuesday six times, like this year, and federal employees have worked all six.

However, the report noted a Presidential stay at work does not preclude agency heads from closing early on Christmas Eve.

New Year’s Eve looks equally as busy for federal employees, as the president usually only gives the day off when it falls on a Friday. The last time an extra non-Friday December 31 ^st was given off to federal employees was 1973. Not surprisingly, New Year’s Eve fell on a Monday that year.