Schedule Shift

Federal employees who were scheduled to have Friday off as part of their alternative work schedule arrangements will be allowed to choose a different day to mourn the passing of former President Ronald Reagan.

The Office of Personnel Management announced Wednesday that federal employees who were not scheduled to work Friday under AWS will be credited with eight hours of leave.

The federal government is closed Friday as part of a national day of mourning for Reagan, who died Saturday at 93. Reagan's coffin is being flown to Washington Wednesday, and will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until Friday morning. Funeral services will be held that day at the National Cathedral. The body of the 40th president will then be flown back to California for its final burial.

Under the alternative work schedules program, federal civil servants must work a certain number of hours over a period of time, usually 80 hours over two weeks. Within those parameters, employees can adjust their schedules, and many take the second Friday of each two-week pay-period off.

Eligible employees will be able to take off work Thursday before the national day of mourning or any day after that, according to OPM spokesman Rusty Asher.

Public Service Perks Borders Books & Music Stores are offering savings to civil servants later this month, the company announced Tuesday. As part of Public Service Savings Days, civil servants, postal workers, firefighters, police officers and military personnel will receive 20 percent off regularly priced books and music and 15 percent off regularly priced DVDs. The promotion runs from Friday, June 25, through Sunday, June 27. Government employees will be required to show a current pay-stub or official identification to qualify for the discount.

"Borders thinks it's about time we give back to those who do so much for our communities everyday," the company said in a release.