Federal employees have had a pay freeze for the past several years and have had to live with the uncertainty of sequestration, furloughs and government shutdown.
Giving federal employees an extra holiday on December 24th, 2013 would be a good gesture to improve morale of the federal workforce.
This is also consistent with past practice. President Obama provided a day off on Christmas Eve last year and a half-day off on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009. President George W. Bush provided a half-day holiday on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2002, as well as several full days off the day before or after Christmas: Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2001, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2003, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2007, and Thursday, Dec. 26, 2008.
We urge President Obama to issue an executive order on this issue.