President Joe Biden gives federal employees Christmas Eve off
Biden — who is in the final days of his tenure — said the extra day off would be given to all federal employees, except for some involved in “national security, defense, or other public need.”
President Joe Biden is giving federal employees a parting gift this holiday season, saying in an executive order that this year’s Christmas Eve would be considered a federal holiday.
In the order, signed Thursday, Biden — who is in the final weeks of his tenure in the White House — said the extra day off would be given to all federal employees, except for some involved in “national security, defense, or other public need.” He did not elaborate, except to say those decisions would be made by the heads of relevant agencies or departments.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service said Saturday that its operations would not be interrupted, and that “all Post Offices will remain open for business as usual, and deliveries will be made.”
In Philadelphia — where many businesses and offices are closed for Christmas Day — it was not clear how or if the order might affect federal sites such as the Liberty Bell or Independence National Historical Park. The sites had been scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, but attempts to reach a spokesperson Saturday were not successful.
Christmas Day has long been recognized as a federal holiday, but presidents have the authority to decide whether to grant federal workers additional time off for Christmas Eve. This year marks the first time Biden has done so during his four years in office.
Former President Donald Trump gave federal employees the day off from 2018 through 2020, and Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton sometimes opted to close federal offices for an extra day around Christmas if the holiday fell near a weekend.