ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13281Executive OrderG.W. Bush · R

Executive Order 13281

Half-Day Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Tuesday, December 24, 2002

This executive order grants federal executive branch employees a half-day off on December 24, 2002, closing all departments and agencies for the last half of the scheduled workday. Agency heads may except certain offices and employees for national security, defense, or other public reasons. The day is treated as a legal holiday for purposes of federal employee pay and leave statutes.

Federal Register Open PDF 67 FR 78319

Impact dates

  1. Half-day closure of executive departments and agencies takes effect

Key directives

  • Close all executive branch departments and agencies for last half of workday on December 24, 2002
  • Excuse employees from duty except as determined by agency heads for national security, defense, or other public reasons
  • Treat December 24, 2002 as within scope of Executive Order 11582 and 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) for pay and leave purposes

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Half-day closure takes effect December 24, 2002

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

—

Risks & tensions

  • Minimal operational tension; standard holiday administrative action
  • Vague 'other public reasons' exception in Section 2 leaves discretion entirely to agency heads without standards
Executive Order 13281: Half-Day Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Tuesday, December 24, 2002 · Executive Orders