In an unprecedented move that has reshuffled holiday plans across the civil service, President Trump has issued an executive order closing the federal government for both Wednesday, December 24, and Friday, December 26, 2025. As reported by FEDweek, this directive effectively creates a continuous five-day break for the majority of the federal workforce, spanning from Christmas Eve through the following Sunday.
This double-grant of administrative time is a rare deviation from standard protocol, where Presidents typically grant only a half-day or single day depending on how Christmas falls on the calendar.
📅 The New Schedule: 120 Hours of Continuous Rest
The executive order transforms the holiday week into a substantial block of time off. Here is how the calendar now looks for most full-time employees:
- Wednesday, Dec 24: Federal Holiday (Excused Absence)
- Thursday, Dec 25: Official Christmas Holiday
- Friday, Dec 26: Federal Holiday (Excused Absence)
- Saturday, Dec 27: Weekend
- Sunday, Dec 28: Weekend
Sound Data: The Value of this Grant This isn’t just time; it’s money.
- A “16-Hour” Bonus: For a standard full-time employee, this order gifts 16 hours of paid time off without touching your leave balance.
- Financial Equivalent: For a GS-12, Step 5 employee earning roughly $55/hour (DC locality), this grant is equivalent to a $880 bonus.
- Historical Rarity: It is highly unusual for a President to grant two full days. Typically, when Christmas falls on a Thursday, only Friday is granted (creating a 4-day weekend). Granting Wednesday as well is a significant outlier in federal benefits history.
⚠️ The “Use or Lose” Trap: A Critical Warning
While the extra time off is a morale booster, it creates an immediate administrative emergency for those carrying high leave balances.
The Rule: OPM guidance confirms that if you had previously scheduled “use or lose” annual leave for December 24 or 26, you must cancel and reschedule it immediately.
- No Automatic Restoration: If you do not reschedule this leave and the year ends with you over the 240-hour limit, that leave is forfeited. The granting of administrative time does not create an exigency of the public business that allows for restoration of forfeited leave.
- The Crunch: You effectively have only three working days left in the year (Dec 29, 30, 31) to burn those 16 hours if you want to save them.
🛡️ Maximize Your Windfall with Strategic Planning
A surprise five-day break is a perfect time to reset, but it also disrupts end-of-year financial and leave planning.
This is where Internal Benefit Advisors steps in. We help you ensure this “gift” doesn’t become an administrative headache.
How We Help You Manage the Break:
- “Use or Lose” Rescue: We can help you quickly calculate your projected carryover balance and identify the best days to reschedule your displaced leave before the January 10, 2026, leave year deadline.
- Premium Pay Analysis: If you are “essential” and required to work on Dec 24 or 26, we ensure you understand your entitlement to Holiday Premium Pay (double time) versus regular overtime.
- 2026 Leave Projection: We help you use this downtime to map out your 2026 leave strategy, ensuring you spread your vacations effectively to avoid the “use or lose” panic next December.
The government has given you time. We help you keep your money.
Contact Internal Benefit Advisors today for an end-of-year benefits checkup.
References
- FEDweek. “Five-Day Break Granted for Christmas Holiday, 2 Days Excused.” December 18, 2025.
- The White House. Executive Order: Providing for the Closure of Executive Departments and Agencies on December 24 and 26, 2025.
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). CPM 2025-17: Pay and Leave Guidance for December 24 and 26 Closures.
- Internal Benefit Advisors. Retrieved from https://internalbenefitadvisors.com
