Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 13320: Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Friday, Dec 26, 2003

President: George W. Bush

Closed most executive branch offices for the Friday after Christmas in 2003, with public-need exceptions.

Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 13320 still in effect? No. Executive Order 13320 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13320 do?

The order excused employees from duty unless agency heads kept an office or employee on duty for security, defense or other public need; pay and leave statutes applied. OPM’s December 10, 2003 implementation memorandum explained excused absence, annual leave and holiday-premium treatment for affected federal employees. The closure applied to that date only.

Administration position: The order excused employees on the day after Christmas while allowing agency heads to maintain operations for defense, security or public need.
SignedDecember 9, 2003
Prior frameworkFriday December 26, 2003 would otherwise have been a normal federal workday for covered offices.
Responsible officialExecutive agency heads and OPM
Later primary evidenceDecember 10, 2003: OPM’s December 10, 2003 implementation memorandum explained excused absence, annual leave and holiday-premium treatment for affected federal employees. The closure applied to that date only.

Before and after

Before the order

Friday December 26, 2003 would otherwise have been a normal federal workday for covered offices.

After the order

The order excused employees from duty unless agency heads kept an office or employee on duty for security, defense or other public need; pay and leave statutes applied.

OPM’s December 10, 2003 implementation memorandum explained excused absence, annual leave and holiday-premium treatment for affected federal employees. The closure applied to that date only.

What changed?

Friday December 26, 2003 would otherwise have been a normal federal workday for covered offices. The order excused employees from duty unless agency heads kept an office or employee on duty for security, defense or other public need; pay and leave statutes applied.

What does later evidence show?

OPM — December 26, 2003 excused absence memorandum documents the later development: OPM’s December 10, 2003 implementation memorandum explained excused absence, annual leave and holiday-premium treatment for affected federal employees. The closure applied to that date only. The day-specific direction has no prospective closure effect.

What are the limits?

The order treated the day under EO 11582 and 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) for federal pay and leave purposes. It did not establish a recurring holiday or close every government function. Read the signed order for its operative language.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Executive agency heads and OPMApplied closure exceptions and pay and leave guidanceAs limited by the signed order

What happened next

EO 13320 signed.

OPM’s December 10, 2003 implementation memorandum explained excused absence, annual leave and holiday-premium treatment for affected federal employees. The closure applied to that date only.

Signed text and later primary evidence reviewed.