Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 13633: Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Monday, December 24, 2012

President: Barack Obama

Closed most executive departments and agencies for Christmas Eve 2012 while preserving essential operations.

Status: Completed/expired.

Is Executive Order 13633 still in effect? No. Completed one-day closure on December 24, 2012.

What does Executive Order 13633 do?

EO 13633 excused most executive-branch employees from duty on Monday, December 24, 2012. Agency heads could keep essential offices open for national security, defense or other public need. The Office of Personnel Management issued specific pay and leave instructions that day, including holiday premium pay for covered employees required to work. This was a one-day measure, not a recurring Christmas Eve holiday.

Administration position: The order did not close Congress, courts, private employers or essential federal operations, and it did not create an annual Christmas Eve holiday.
SignedDecember 21, 2012
Closure dateDecember 24, 2012
CoverageExecutive departments and agencies

Before and after

Before the order

December 24, 2012 was scheduled as a normal Monday workday for most federal employees.

After the order

Most executive agencies closed for that day, subject to essential-service exceptions.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Agency headsClose offices and excuse covered employeesCompleted
Essential personnelWork when required for public needCompleted
OPM and payroll officesApply holiday-style pay and leave rulesCompleted

What happened next

EO 13633 was signed and OPM issued pay and leave guidance.

The one-day closure and essential-service exceptions applied.

The closure instruction had no further operational effect.