President grants federal holiday Dec. 26 Published Dec. 19, 2008 By Personnel Office ROBINS AFB, Ga. -- President Bush has issued an Executive Order granting Dec. 26 as a paid federal holiday. Federal employees at Robins will receive the holiday except those in mission essential positions. Guidance for civilian employees: Employees who are scheduled to take annual leave Dec. 26 will not be charged leave for that day. Those with use-or-lose annual leave should be reminded to reschedule another day of leave to be used before the leave year ends (Jan. 3). When an employee has scheduled use-or-lose annual leave for December 26th, and is unable to reschedule that leave before the end of the leave year, the leave will be forfeited. When use-or-lose leave is forfeited under those circumstances, there is no authority that permits restoration of the leave. Employees with use-or-lose annual leave also have the option of donating annual leave to approved leave recipients. Employees may obtain a listing of approved leave recipients and instructions on donating annual leave on the Directorate of Personnel workspace (https:// workspace.robins.af.mil/DP/default.aspx). Employees required to work the holiday will receive holiday premium pay in addition to basic pay for their regular hours of work. Holiday work performed outside the regularly scheduled tour of duty is overtime work and will be compensated with appropriate overtime or compensatory time payment. Employees whose basic workweek does not include Dec. 26, as a regularly scheduled workday (i.e., employees working an uncommon tour of duty or compressed work schedule) will observe the holiday on their last workday immediately before the holiday. Employees on an intermittent tour of duty are not entitled to pay for the holiday unless they actually work during that period. Employees in a non-pay status immediately before the holiday and at the beginning of the first workday after the holiday are not entitled to pay for the holiday. Questions may be referred to your servicing employee relations specialist at 926-5802 or 926-0677. Guidelines for military members: A special pass is available Dec. 26 for military members with concurrence from the unit commander. If Airmen are required to work that day due to mission essential reasons, commanders are encouraged to authorize a special pass on another day. Airmen should be reminded that there are no mileage or travel restrictions on a special pass; however, supervisors and commanders can impose mission or safety related restrictions. AFMC Airmen are required to report any out of the local area travel to their supervisors. They are also required to provide specific travel plans to include dates, times of travel, and contact information if they are unable to return to duty within 6 hours. Questions regarding guidance for military personnel may be referred to MPF customer service at 327-7362. Guidelines for contractors: Contract employees should contact their supervisor (or contracting officer) to obtain information on their pay and leave entitlements for Dec. 26. Contractor employees are not allowed in government-owned buildings without government personnel present, so arrangements should be made with their supervisor for work at a different site if contractor employees plan to work that day.