Federal employees will receive an extra day off work this holiday season, as President Donald Trump signed an executive order Dec. 11 ordering all federal departments and agencies to close Dec. 24.
Trump has been fairly consistent about granting a pre-Christmas holiday to feds, even when the holiday has fallen in the middle of the week. There is no requirement for presidents to excuse federal employees from work the day before Christmas, though the workforce has often received at least a half-day off when Christmas Day falls on a Friday.
Though most feds will be able to take advantage of the extra day off, some employees may still be called in to the office if their work is central to “national security, defense or other public need.” Which employees fall under that scope has been left up to the heads of departments and agencies.
Jessie Bur covered the federal workforce and the changes most likely to impact government employees for Federal Times.
Agencies will have until the end of 2022 to make sure that their job listings involve more than just a self-assessment to determine whether an applicant has the right qualifications.
The Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program comes as the federal government struggles to draw young talent to replace those soon to retire.
Christmas falls on a Saturday this year, meaning feds will receive their paid holiday the day before.
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which forgives student loans after prolonged work in the public sector, could become easier to navigate.
Agencies have just over six more months to make use of Schedule A hiring authorities for pandemic response.
John Greenstein of Bluescape outlines the steps federal leaders can take to create a more equitable environment in the age of hybrid workplaces.
The White House released an action plan that calls for expanding the number of agencies that can track and monitor drones flying in their airspace.
Traditionally, the president observes the date with an annual Easter egg roll for children on the White House lawn.
The president also announced the nomination of Steve Dettelbach, who served as a U.S. attorney in Ohio from 2009 to 2016, to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Biden tweeted afterward that “we’ve taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America.”
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