Extra day off around Christmas doubtful, OPM says

Federal employees are unlikely to receive an additional day off for Christmas this year, according to an Office of Personnel Management spokesman.

Christmas falls on a Sunday, and federal employees will get Monday, Dec. 26, as the federal holiday. That likely will be the only day off, OPM said.

Historically, presidents only have granted an extra day or half-day of vacation when Christmas falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the spokesman said. In those cases, federal employees are sometimes given the Monday or Friday off to create a four-day weekend.

In order for President Bush to grant the extra time off, he would need to issue an executive order. In 2002, Bush waited until Dec. 19 to order a half-day off for Christmas Eve, which fell on a Tuesday.

The last time the president granted extra time off, he issued the executive order much earlier, on Dec. 9, 2003. Silence from the White House this late in the year suggests Bush will not grant employees an extra vacation day in 2005.

The next time federal employees will be poised to receive an additional day off is in 2007. That year, Christmas will fall on a Tuesday.

This year, federal employees seem to be out of luck for New Year's Eve, too, because Dec. 31 is a Saturday. New Year's Day is an annual holiday for federal workers and will be recognized on Monday, Jan. 2.