Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2025, and December 26, 2025

This executive order closes all federal executive departments and agencies on December 24 and December 26, 2025, excusing employees from duty on those days, while allowing agency heads to keep certain offices open for national security, defense, or other public need. It treats those dates as holidays for pay and leave purposes under existing statutes and delegates implementation to the OPM Director.

Federal Register Open PDF 90 FR 60545

Impact dates

Dec 24, 2025
Federal government closure and employee excusal from duty
Dec 24, 2025
Agency heads determine exempt offices and employees

Key directives

All executive departments and agencies closed December 24, 2025 and December 26, 2025
Employees excused from duty on those dates
Agency heads may exempt certain offices/installations and employees for national security, defense, or other public need
OPM Director to implement order

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Federal government closure declared for December 24 and December 26, 2025
OPM Director authorized to implement pay/leave treatment

Near term (90d)

Agency heads must determine which offices/installations remain open for national security, defense, or public need
Affected employees excused from duty December 24 and 26 unless designated essential

Long term

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Risks & tensions

Minimal operational tension; standard holiday closure with national security carve-out
Potential ambiguity in 'other public need' standard for exemptions
Pay/leave treatment depends on OPM implementation speed