Half-Day Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies on Thursday, December 24, 2009
Federal Departments Must Close Half-Day on December 24, 2009
What it does
Federal agencies must close for the last half of the workday on December 24, 2009, excusing employees except those required to work for national security, defense, or public need.
Real-world impact
- Most federal employees are excused for the afternoon of December 24, 2009.
- Some offices and employees may be required to work for security or public needs.
- Pay and leave for that half-day follow existing federal pay and leave rules.
Topics
Summary
This order closes all executive branch departments and agencies for the last half of the scheduled workday on Thursday, December 24, 2009, the day before Christmas. Employees are excused from duty for that half-day except where agency heads decide staff must stay on.
The order allows agency leaders to keep offices open if needed for national security, defense, or other public needs. It also confirms normal federal pay and leave rules apply and does not create new legal rights.
Questions, answered
Ask questions about this executive order and its implications. Try:
- “What agencies are affected by this order?”
- “How does this order change existing policy?”
- “What are the practical implications of this order?”