Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two hour early dismissal. It was just announced at my agency.

that kind of thing is very agency specific isn't it?

I have friends at three different agencies, and they all seem to get early release if one does. It is determined on an agency by agency basis, but im sure they look at what other agencies are doing. If Obama was going to give the whole day off (and I never thought he would), it would have been announced by now.

I have heard 8 hours, to not to expect anything.

I have no idea what will happen but if I do not hear otherwise I will be at work on the 24th.

Anonymous wrote:Two hour early dismissal. It was just announced at my agency.

that kind of thing is very agency specific isn't it?

Two hour early dismissal. It was just announced at my agency.

apparently there is a petition circulating
http://www.fedsmith.com/2012/12/17/christmas-eve-holiday-petition-now-exceeds-required-25000-signatures/

Anonymous wrote:At my agency we get maybe one day's notice if they are granting early leave that day.

So I would expect to know Friday but sometimes they annouce it the day of as well.

I wasn't asking wouldn't early leave be announced already. I was talking about the whole day. I'm sure we'll get two hours early release and it'll probably be announced Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

At my agency we get maybe one day's notice if they are granting early leave that day.

So I would expect to know Friday but sometimes they annouce it the day of as well.

Wouldn't it have been announced by now if it was going to happen? I completely disagree with the PP who says Obama holds all the cards and has nothing to lose. He doesn't have to get reelected, but he still has to negotiate with Congress and giving federal employees an additional paid vacation day would be used against him in the context of the fiscal cliff and other budget negotiations. He'd be crazy to do it. Federal employees get plenty of leave. Just take a day for Christmas Eve if it's that important to you.

-A federal worker

Anonymous wrote:I'm a contractor for the Federal government and I would really welcome having the extra day off simply because I don't get that much vacation time and work long, hard hours. I know it isn't fiscally prudent but it would be much appreciated. If it doesn't happen, I certainly understand and would not begrudge the president.

Really? I've been a federal contractor on-site at a federal facility for 20 years and while the President can give the civil servants the day off, that does not apply to contractors. If you take the day off, you contract company needs to pay you from overhead because they cannot bill those hours to the government. I have never gotten the day off when the President excuses the civil servants. We can get compensated for a full 8 hours when the President grants early dismissal on the day before a holiday, but not when the full day is given. I also have friends who are in 3 other agencies and the policy is the same. What agency do you work for that will give contractors the day off along with the civil servants?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'Ve been with Feds for 18 years-- usually get 2 hour early dismissal on Xmas Eve and Wed before Thanksgiving. If you are out on leave you don't get to substitute leave for personal leave and have to work at least 4 hours.

Bush did give us Xmas Eve off and it happens occasionally. When it does--it is greatly appreciated!

+1

+1

Oh, and for the people who complain about their taxes paying our (the federal workforce's) salaries, the last time I checked, I pay taxes too. We all do. Not saying that there aren't lazy workers out there, there are, in both the public and private sector. I work very hard at my job with very little reward, but I would not change what I do for the world. I love my job. And, I don't expect to get Christmas Eve off. I'm taking leave that day, just like I do on the day before and after Thanksgiving.

AAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! I am late to this party, but I have to comment any way. You people who bash federal employees make me sick. I am an attorney for the government, and I don't do it for the money or the leave. Trust me, I could make more elsewhere. I work my butt off day in and day out (nights and weekends included). I do the work, because I love my job and I love serving my country in the little way that I can. Sure, I've seen some lazy government employees, but for the most part, we all work very hard at our jobs, and no, our pay is most certainly not what we could make in the private sector (and lets not forget that is has been several years since any federal employees saw any cost of living increase in our pay). We were supposed to get a small one this year, but that was rescinded.

Also, I disagree with the argument that "Obama cannot be seen as soft ..." He is at the stage in his political career where he holds all of the cards and can effectively do what he wants.

I'm a contractor for the Federal government and I would really welcome having the extra day off simply because I don't get that much vacation time and work long, hard hours. I know it isn't fiscally prudent but it would be much appreciated. If it doesn't happen, I certainly understand and would not begrudge the president.

Anonymous wrote:I'Ve been with Feds for 18 years-- usually get 2 hour early dismissal on Xmas Eve and Wed before Thanksgiving. If you are out on leave you don't get to substitute leave for personal leave and have to work at least 4 hours.

Bush did give us Xmas Eve off and it happens occasionally. When it does--it is greatly appreciated!

+1