Federal Government Closed January 9 to Remember Former President Jimmy Carter

Federal agencies will be closed on January 9, 2025, for a National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100. 

The date coincides with the former president’s funeral at the National Cathedral. 

While most employees will be excused from duty, acting Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Rob Shriver noted that employees who “in the judgment of the head of the agency, cannot be excused for reasons of national security, defense, or other essential public business” will still have to report to work. 

The day will be treated like a holiday for purposes of pay and leave, and employees who were scheduled to have the day off will not be charged. Workers who must report and are entitled to a holiday premium will receive the extra pay. 

Jimmy Carter’s Impact on the Federal Workforce

Mr. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977-1981, when he was defeated for reelection by Ronald Reagan.  

The former president left a lasting impact on the federal workforce. 

Mr. Carter pushed for the Reorganization Act to streamline the executive branch. That eventually led to the creation of the Department of Energy in 1977 and the Department of Education in 1979. 

The former president also advocated for and signed the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 the most significant civil service reform in the last 50 years.

That law created the Senior Executive Service, created a new employee performance appraisal system, gave managers more authority over hiring, rewarding, and disciplining employees, and based the compensation of career executives and managers on individual and organizational performance.  

As for Mr. Carter’s impact on federal employees, Partnership for Public Service President Max Stier said, “From modernizing the federal personnel system to laying out prohibited personnel practices to establishing the senior executive service, Carter accomplished much in his term to improve the civil service. The need for further reform continues today, carrying on Carter’s work to build a more effective and modern government and a stronger democracy.”