Although it;s not a full day this year– A half-day would still be nice
President Barack Obama has issued an Executive order excusing executive branch non-Postal Service employees from duty for half-day on Thursday, December 24, 2015, with pay and without a charge to leave, except those who, in the judgment of the head of the agency, cannot be excused for reasons of national security, defense, or other essential public need. For pay and leave purposes, December 24, 2015, will be treated as falling within the scope of statutes and Executive orders governing holidays for Federal employees.
Under federal statute, the Postal Service is “an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States,” and not an executive branch department or agency of the federal government.
Postal Employee schedules on holidays are governed by the National Agreements and agreements between USPS and Management organizations — which does not include provisions granting employees holidays simply because they have been granted to federal employees. Even though the postal holidays are also days that the federal government recognizes for federal employees, the source of holiday recognition for postal workers is the negotiated agreement.
In previous years when the President signed an Executive Order granting federal employees a day off on Dec. 24 or the day after, unions would request that USPS follow the same spirit of holiday cheer and grant postal employees the day off as well. Postal Employees were granted the day off –but required to use their own leave. USPS usually allows postal employees a half-day off at the discretion of postal officials in each office. But postal employees must use their own leave.
Several years ago, APWU (under a different roster of National officers) said it would address this issue in future rounds of bargaining. But USPS said at the time the cost of closing the Postal Service for a day was estimated to be nearly $175 million.
At any rate here is President Barack Obama’s EXECUTIVE ORDER:
Executive Order — Half-Day Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Thursday, December 24, 2015
HALF-DAY CLOSING OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015
By the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America, by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. All executive branch departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty for the last half of the scheduled workday on Thursday, December 24, 2015, the day before Christmas Day, except as provided in section 2 of this order.
Sec. 2. The heads of executive branch departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must remain on duty for the full scheduled workday on December 24, 2015, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need.
Sec. 3. Thursday, December 24, 2015, shall be considered as falling within the scope of Executive Order 11582 of February 11, 1971, and of 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) and other similar statutes insofar as they relate to the pay and leave of employees of the United States.
Sec. 4. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement this order.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 11, 2015.
WE the lowly carriers and clerks will not get the day off but you can bet your sweet a** anyone higher than a supervisor will not be putting in a full day.I too have worked for the PO for over 31 years and have always worked Christmas Eve(most times working past 6pm)I don’t mind just like someone said we knew the job when we signed up.Like someone else said we are Government employees only when they want us to be.
What a bunch of whiners. Postal employees will never be granted Christmas Eve off. The very nature of our jobs is to deliver when the public most wants, or needs, letters and parcels to be delivered. Do you really believe that getting a card or gift the day after Christmas is the same as receiving either one on Christmas Eve? My guess is that if you folks were bartenders; you’d complain about working New Years Eve.
Went back to 96 to force workers in Christmas in Automation, 87 in flats here at Tampa P&DC.
32plus years and we never got Xmas Eve at my So Cal P& DC. Only a few got to work
Xmas Day (Seniors) and got Premium pay. This year it’s a completely different
story! We have taken on the DPS processing of another Plant that is now
Parcel distribution only so now we are MANDATORIED!!!! for Xmas Day! : (
Is this going on anywhere else? Bah Humbug!!!
The PO and unions could allow us the 24th or Saturday the 26th off, but even if the PO would allow it, the unions, especially the nalc in an upcoming contract year, would fight it to show the arbitrator how much the union is working for the people. …. even though it will screw over its own members. In the end, we will still get screwed in the new contract again. Thanks nalc
yeah thanks for my 8 hr day which takes 8 1/2 or sometimes 9
under George W Bush I got two checks for $400 dollars each…….what did “cake boy” do for the post office workers the last 7 years-not a thing. brought in millions of third world illegal invaders to keep wages of working class people down. stop drinking the demonrat kool-aid! the clown is always talking about using his pen and phone to get around congress, did not lift a finger to call po mismanagement to give us a decent contract. on to arbitration and a 1% raise in 2017, 2016 will be given away as a freebe just like Guffy gave away that $1000 dollar COLA last contract.
Hey folks,
Remember Republican presidential candidate Romney and his 2 faced running mate Ryan ( presently the Speaker of the House ).. I guess you ladies forgot that they wanted to Privatize the Postal Service.. So thank Obama for not having the same stupid IDEOLOGY that privatizing the Postal Service, The VA, Social Security, The EPA, The Department of Education as every Tea Party Republican has!!! President Obama isn’t that bad as all these Nut- Job Republican candidates running for president.. Cruz, Rubio, Trump, Carson, etc.. Try thinking before you open your BIG MOUTHS!!! Bunch of low information voters. Probably 3/4 of postal employees don’t even vote. Shame on You!!!
But postal employees get the same benefit when a former president dies? Seems rather contradictory.
And I wasn’t blaming Obama. If you didn’t notice , the words I used were “thanks Obama”. Blaming?! Huh??????
I pay less for my health insurance than any other Government entity. I’m not going to complain until they make me match what other departments pay. Then I’m going to scream my head off.
there is a misunderstanding of what an ‘independent agency’ is under federal law.
quoting from wikipedia-
‘Independent agencies of the United States federal government are those agencies that exist outside of the federal executive departments (those headed by a Cabinet secretary). More specifically, the term may be used to describe agencies that, while constitutionally part of the executive branch, are independent of presidential control, usually because the president’s power to dismiss the agency head or a member is limited.’
nothing in that definition says that a presidential order is not encompassing upon any federal agency independent or not-it is a presidential order and has the force of law ONLY if someone challenges it.
additionally, since USPS is subject to Congress, just like any other federal agency independent or not, they are subject to federal law, so how are they able to circumvent or ignore a presidential directive?????
can anybody get back to me??????
ty jb,, why are people crying over a non issue. we signed up to be letter carriers, xmas eve comes with the job.
All of us, as tax payers are paying for this Executive Order. The cost will come out of the federal budget. The Postal Service doesn’t have to allow carriers to take off a half day. We should be able to get 4 hours of extra pay for that day. It should be handled the same as when we work on our federal holidays.
Use them and abuse them
He made sure he included postal employees in the federal employee PAY FREEZE, claiming to help the US government budget. Even though postal employees are not paid with government money, their salaries are paid from the sale of stamps and other USPS sales. Postal employees are included when government employees get screwed but not when they get a benefit.
I was never offered one day or a half day off on Christmas Eve ever in my 31+ years of being a city carrier. Truth be known, the workload would be terrible when we came back so to me it wouldn’t be worth it. Plus, December is a big enough pain in the ass with traffic, greed, Christmas gimmicks and carols that make you want to puke after hearing them about the 1000th time.
Some close to me have had such a bad time financially they aren’t even doing anything for Christmas – no dinners, and just gifts for the kids. They simply can’t afford to go out and spend like crazy because greedy businesses want us to.
My wife and I have bought for one another and will take care of nieces and nephews, not having kids of our own, but I’d rather be on the route as fighting last minute procrastinators who think they have to buy presents for everybody they know. Besides, we’ll be delivering Christmas catalogues for next year right after July 4th.
Look I get it, on Christmas eve people need their parcels etc. However, this guy hasn’t done a damn thing for the USPS employees to date, that’s worth mentioning!
Postal management could mandate any employee 2 work any holiday,including Christmas;at their discretion,including full-time regular employees. And,it was always the case,during my 31-years as a Queens,NY mail-processor. Those with 20,30,or more years of seniority,could and we’re”Sourged”, out of the Xmas holiday. If it’s any,so we’re their supervisors. I fortunately retired,as this past Aug.1st.
THANKS OBAMA!!!
This is a shame! Postal workers have families also and they would like to enjoy the holidays with them. It’s so funny how The Postal Service is federal only to the government’s convenience. When Congress wants to destroy the Postal Service then it’s federal but for a holiday employees are not treated equally? Modern slavery!
r nader, please believe the words. Postal employees has never enjoyed the luxury afforded other Federal agency employees on this issue.. President Obama has absolutely no say so, he just follow the path other Presidents has gone. We had to use leave to get the day off and thats stated. There is many other issues separating Federal Agency Employees from USPS employees. Unless you’re on the short side its not common knowledge. We knew it and moved the mail then,as expected, timely. Motor Vehicle is where the rubber meets the road, covering the seat of the drivers pants, is the amount of rubber contacting the road surface, Trucker/ Driver/Operator Information!
Why blame Obama? Been with P.O. almost 30 years, never had Christmas Eve off, no matter who was president.