Trump Just Gave a New Gift to Federal Employees

Townhall.com ^ | December 18, 2018 | Leah Barkoukis

[Kaslin]

President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that gives federal employees the day off on Christmas Eve.

“All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Monday, December 24, 2018, the day before Christmas Day,” the order says. 

Certain offices may need to be open, however, to carry out responsibilities related to "national security, defense, or other public need," according to the order. 

“The heads of executive departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on December 24, 2018, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need,” the order continues. 

Past presidents have also given federal workers the day off.

While Christmas Day is a federal holiday, giving federal employees additional time off has been inconsistent for different presidents.

Christmas fell on a Monday last year, but there was no extra day off for workers.

In 2012, former President Barack Obama excused federal employees from duty on Christmas Eve when it fell on a Monday. In 2014, he closed the federal government on the day after Christmas Day. The following year, workers were given a half day on Christmas Eve.

Former President George W. Bush did give workers the day off on Christmas Eve in 2001 and in 2007when it landed on a Monday. (Fox 5)

.@WhiteHouse has issued an Executive Order providing for the closing of Executive Departments and Federal Agencies on December 24: https://t.co/EAdBJnikZr— OPM (@USOPM) December 19, 2018

[Calvin Cooledge]

Six-figured, pensioned, unfirable bureaucrats getting a paid holiday at taxpayer expense.

And, yes, I sometimes give my employees a paid holiday on Christmas Eve -- but it comes out of my pocket.

[DoodleDawg]

If he shuts down the government over the wall then Trump can give them the day after Christmas off as well.

[Clutch Martin]

BTW retail sales people rarely get vacation days off for federal holidays they have to work because what will the federal employees do on federal holidays? They will probably (in most cases) go shopping.

[Flick Lives]

Turn off your sarc filter and then turn it back on again.

[Yo-Yo]

I have worked with federal employees who are frequently in the office by 6 a.m. and will work until 7 or 8p.m. that evening. I have worked with private sector employees to drop into the office at 10, claiming an early morning emergency, spend two or three hours and lunch, and leave early. And then the latter complain they don't get enough time off.

Federal employees get 20 days of paid vacation per year after 3 years of service.

20 days is four entire work weeks off. Which is in addition to the 10 federally-recognized holidays I pointed out earlier, and adds up to two more full work weeks off. A total of 6 weeks of paid leave per year.

You think your federal employee friends can burn a vacation day on Christmas Eve?

Or if things are so great in the private sector, maybe your federal employee friends should consider a career change.

Hmmm?

[JZelle]

I’m a contractor and we have to take leave even though our still gets paid for the day.

[Yo-Yo]

Are you really that cold? Does your employer give you Christmas eve off?

Do you really think much gets accomplished on Christmas eve? Heck, it’s government, not much gets accomplished on any given day, however, I think its a good move.

Please see my post 65. It applies to your comment as well.

[Dahoser]

So while there’s all this pearl clutching going on in the media and on the left about a partial government shutdown over the border wall, there’s going to be pretty much the equivalent on Christmas Eve and the world isn’t going to end.

[napscoordinator]

New? If Christmas is a Tuesday, Monday is always off. If Thursday, friday is off. It’s nice but not new.

[napscoordinator]

I think Walmart and amazon workers will see that way before the federal government.

[ASA Vet]

I worked for USPS for 38 years. The first 10 I worked every holiday, even if it fell on a scheduled day off.
I wasn't given a choice, I was low seniority.

[Kaslin]

I believe so too. They have packages to deliver

[Kaslin]

Literally Hitler

Huh? Explain

[BamaDi]

I worked in the Federal government for 36 years and every time Christmas fell on a Tuesday we got Monday off and when it fell on Thursday, we’d get Friday off.

[Windflier]

I’m good with it. I’m not working my guys on that day, either.

Of course, my guys actually earn their keep, and honestly deserve it.

[Kaslin]

Christmas falls on a Wednesday in 2019, so yes.

Now in 2022 Christmas falls on a Sunday, so they will probably get off on Monday the 26th

The Germans celebrate always 2 Christmas days. December 25th is for the family and December 26th is for friends. Which means you visit friends, or you receive friends that visit you. They also celebrate 2 Easter holidays. Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Why Easter Monday is celebrated I have no idea

[Flick Lives]

Please activate your sarc filter.

[Kaslin]

What makes you think that was sarcasm?

[RedStateRocker]

One fewer day without busybodies.

“Thank God we don’t get all the government we pay for”
-Mark Twain

[tcrlaf]

“For me, Christmas Eve is even better than Christmas Day itself. So having that day off is pretty important to me.”

Likewise for me.
Christmas Eve dinner with the family, mass, and then double time and a half plus a PDO for working Christmas Day.

Can’t beat it.