1. PURPOSE
   This notice announces the Federal holidays in calendar year 2024, how to determine when to observe holidays when they fall on non-workdays and the in-lieu-of dates, and when employees who work shifts that span two calendar days are to observe holidays.
2. LEGAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
   Federal law establishes the following as legal public holidays:
   1. New Year's Day, January 1
   2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January
   3. Washington's Birthday, the third Monday in February
   4. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May
   5. Juneteenth, June 19
   6. Independence Day, July 4
   7. Labor Day, the first Monday in September
   8. Columbus Day, the second Monday in October
   9. Veterans Day, November 11
   10. Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November
   11. Christmas Day, December 25
   
   Attachment 1 lists the dates employees are to observe each holiday in 2024 based on their work schedule (i.e., Monday through Friday, Sunday through Thursday, Tuesday through Saturday, Monday through Thursday).
3. DETERMINING THE DAY TO OBSERVE A HOLIDAY
   1. The day an employee observes a holiday depends on the employee's tour of duty and status on the day upon which the holiday falls. When a holiday falls on a scheduled workday, the employee observes the holiday on that day. When a holiday falls on a non-workday, an in-lieu-of holiday is identified.
   2. The general rule for identifying an in-lieu-of holiday is as follows:
      1. When a holiday falls on a Sunday non-workday, the employee observes the holiday on their next scheduled workday. For example, if a holiday falls on a Sunday and the employee's tour of duty is Monday through Friday, they observe the holiday on Monday, and if the tour of duty is Tuesday through Saturday, they observe the holiday on the following Tuesday. There are no holidays that fall on a Sunday during calendar year 2024.
      2. If the holiday falls on a non-workday other than Sunday, the employee observes the holiday on the preceding workday. For example, if a holiday falls on a Saturday, and the employee's tour of duty is Monday through Friday they observe the holiday on the preceding Friday.
   3. The exception to this general rule applies to an employee with Sunday as part of their tour of duty and will identify an in-lieu-of holiday as follows:
      1. If the holiday falls on a Friday non-workday, the employee observes the holiday on their next scheduled workday. For example, if a holiday falls on a Friday and the employee's work schedule is Sunday through Thursday, they observe the holiday on the following Sunday. There are no holidays that fall on a Friday during calendar year 2024.
      2. If the holiday falls on a non-workday other than Friday (e.g., Saturday), the employee observes the holiday on the preceding workday. For example, the employee's work schedule is Sunday through Thursday. When the holiday falls on a Saturday, they would observe the holiday on the preceding Thursday.
   4. An employee who is relieved or prevented from working on the holiday is entitled to basic pay for the number of hours of the basic tour of duty they would have worked if the day had not been a holiday.
      1. A full-time employee under a Maxiflex schedule is credited with a maximum of 8 hours of basic pay on the holiday even if they would normally work more hours on that day.
      2. An employee who works a compressed work schedule is credited with 8, 9 or 10 hours of basic pay on the holiday that falls on an 8-, 9- or 10-hour day, respectively.
   5. An employee who is required to work on the holiday is entitled to holiday premium pay for the hours worked within their basic tour of duty (non-overtime hours). This premium pay is in addition to the employee's basic pay. An employee under a flexible work schedule may only receive up to 8 hours of holiday premium pay when they are required to work on a holiday.
   6. For inspection program personnel (IPP), the inspector-in-charge (IIC) or the supervisor is to notify the establishment official of specific calendar days IPP will observe holidays according to the provisions in this notice. The IIC or supervisor is to post a notice of the scheduled holidays employees will observe on the bulletin board in the USDA office. Attachment 1 may be used for this purpose.
4. SHIFTS THAT SPAN TWO CALENDAR DAYS
   1. When IPP have work schedules that span across two calendar days, (e.g., the shift begins at 11:00 p.m. and runs through 7:30 a.m. the next day), the holiday is to be observed on the day during which the holiday begins. For example, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 28. Employees whose shift spans across two calendar days would report for work Wednesday night, November 27, and work as usual into Thursday (Thanksgiving) morning. These employees would observe the Thanksgiving holiday on the shift that begins on Thursday night, November 28 at 11:00 p.m.
   2. The Agency is to follow the instructions established by E.O. 11582. Although the day on which FSIS employees are to observe the holiday does not necessarily coincide with the day on which an establishment observes the holiday, FSIS does not have the authority to adjust the day of observance for its employees, nor does it have the authority to instruct an establishment when to observe the holiday.
5. INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES
   An intermittent employee does not have a regularly scheduled tour of duty and is not entitled to holiday pay or leave for Federal holidays. However, an intermittent employee does receive basic pay for hours of work performed on a holiday. For example, an intermittent employee who works 4 hours on a holiday receives 4 hours of basic pay.
6. PART-TIME EMPLOYEES
   1. Part-time employees are entitled to observe holidays when they fall on a scheduled workday and will receive their rate of basic pay for the number of hours they would have worked if it weren't a holiday.
   2. Part-time employees are not entitled to an "in lieu of" holiday.
7. QUESTIONS
   Refer questions regarding this notice to FSISHR1@usda.gov with the subject “Holidays” or call 877- FSIS-HR1 (877-347-7471) and select option 4.

Attachment 1

FEDERAL HOLIDAYS IN 2024 FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES

Refer to the body of the notice for further guidance regarding employees working compressed or flexible tours of duty, or for guidance regarding employees working shifts that span 2 calendar days.

*Designates in-lieu-of holiday