President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that gives federal employees the day off on Christmas Eve.
“All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Monday, December 24, 2018, the day before Christmas Day,” the order says.
Certain offices may need to be open, however, to carry out responsibilities related to "national security, defense, or other public need," according to the order.
“The heads of executive departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on December 24, 2018, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need,” the order continues.
Past presidents have also given federal workers the day off.
While Christmas Day is a federal holiday, giving federal employees additional time off has been inconsistent for different presidents.
Christmas fell on a Monday last year, but there was no extra day off for workers.
In 2012, former President Barack Obama excused federal employees from duty on Christmas Eve when it fell on a Monday. In 2014, he closed the federal government on the day after Christmas Day. The following year, workers were given a half day on Christmas Eve.
Former President George W. Bush did give workers the day off on Christmas Eve in 2001 and in 2007when it landed on a Monday. (Fox 5)
.@WhiteHouse has issued an Executive Order providing for the closing of Executive Departments and Federal Agencies on December 24: https://t.co/EAdBJnikZr
— OPM (@USOPM) December 19, 2018
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