Half-Day Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Thursday, December 24, 1998

This executive order closes all federal executive departments and agencies for the last half of the workday on December 24, 1998 (Christmas Eve), with exceptions for national security, defense, or other essential public reasons. It ensures affected employees receive appropriate pay and leave treatment under existing statutes.

Federal Register Open PDF 63 FR 70631

Impact dates

Dec 24, 1998
Half-day closure of executive departments and agencies takes effect

Key directives

Close all executive departments and agencies for last half of scheduled workday on December 24, 1998
Department/agency heads may except certain offices/installations/employees for national security, defense, or essential public reasons
December 24, 1998 treated as covered holiday for pay and leave purposes under 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) and EO 11582

Who is ordered

agency heads · various

Timeline

Immediate

EO issued December 17, 1998
half-day closure takes effect December 24, 1998

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

—

Risks & tensions

Minimal tension: routine holiday administrative action with standard national security/essential services carve-out
No operational uncertainty: explicit limitation to federal executive branch only, no state/local implication