White House Orders Federal Offices Closed Around Christmas — What It Means for Workers and the Public

A short holiday pause for most federal offices, with key exceptions

The White House has ordered most executive departments and agencies to close on December 24 and December 26, 2025, carving out a short holiday pause for the federal workforce and the public that deals with it. The order tells agency heads to excuse employees from duty on those dates unless their work is considered essential. In practice that means many federal offices will be quiet around Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, while a smaller set of people — first responders, national security staff, air traffic controllers and others who keep critical services running — will remain on duty.

The move follows a long-standing practice of formalizing holiday closures so agencies know whether to give employees excused absence. For ordinary citizens, the change mostly means scheduled appointments, in-person customer help and some permit or licensing services will be temporarily paused. For those who rely on emergency care, national defense, travel oversight, or digital benefits systems, services will carry on in one form or another.

Officials say the goal is simple: to give federal workers a clearer holiday schedule and avoid confusion across agencies. The White House released the order in mid-December, and agency leaders will translate that broad direction into specific instructions for their staffs and the public.

How the order works and who it covers

The presidential notice directs executive departments and agencies — the parts of the federal government run by the administration — to close on the two holiday dates. It is a directive to agency leaders, not a change in law. Each department head has authority under existing statutes and internal rules to excuse employees when the White House orders a closure.

The text names the dates and asks agencies to grant excused absence to employees who do not perform essential functions. It also reminds agencies to keep continuity plans in place. The order applies to civilian executive branch workers; it does not cover members of the military, who follow separate rules, nor does it bind the judicial branch. Independent agencies sometimes issue their own guidance that follows the White House direction.

What federal workers should expect about pay, leave and reporting

For most civilian federal employees, the practical result is simple: if your job is not on the list of essential duties, you will be excused from work on those dates. An excused absence typically means the employee is paid for the day but does not have to use annual leave. Employees whose duties are essential will be told to report to work or remain on call and will be paid as usual.

Each agency will publish specific reporting instructions. Supervisors may shift schedules so that teams that support critical operations remain staffed, and some workers may be assigned remote or on-call work. For contract workers, the effects vary: many contractors must follow their contract terms and the agency’s direction. Some contractors are paid only for hours worked and could see gaps in pay if they do not work on the closed days.

Union agreements, agency policies and federal leave rules can change details. Typically, agencies try to avoid penalizing nonessential workers for short, scheduled closures, but workers should watch for official messages from their HR office and supervisors.

What the public and businesses can expect

For the public, the most visible effect will be a pause in routine, in-person services. Many federal field offices that handle passports, permits, licensing and customer service will be closed, and scheduled appointments may be moved. Digital systems that run large parts of the federal safety net, benefit payments and tax filing portals generally operate on fixed schedules and are often unchanged by one-day closures, but certain manual processes that require staff review could see delays.

Businesses that need government approvals, inspections or filings—think construction permits, export paperwork, or environmental reviews—may face short delays. Financial markets and payments systems are unlikely to be affected by a two-day executive-branch closure, though firms that rely on timely approvals could shift plans. Travel may be more noticeable: staffing at airports and transportation hubs is governed by agencies whose essential workers remain on duty, but passenger processing or customer counters may have reduced service.

Who stays on duty and where to find official updates

Not every office shuts down. The order carves out exceptions for public safety, national security, emergency response, air traffic control, and other continuity needs. Agencies maintain duty rosters and emergency plans to make sure critical functions run without interruption.

For official updates, watch your agency’s announcements and HR channels for exact reporting and pay details. If you have an upcoming appointment with a federal office, expect a confirmation or rescheduling notice. Businesses should plan for brief delays in approvals and inspections around the dates named in the order.

Sources

• whitehouse.gov