Federal Employees Face Unique Holiday Overlap on Inauguration Day 2025

Federal employees near Washington, D.C., will experience a rare overlap of holidays on Jan. 20, 2025, as Inauguration Day coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Despite the dual observance, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has confirmed that employees will receive only one day off, with no additional holiday observed.

Inauguration Day, which occurs every four years on Jan. 20, marks the swearing-in of the incoming U.S. president at noon Eastern Time. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring the civil rights leader, is observed annually on the third Monday of January. The last time these two holidays fell on the same date was in 1997 during President Bill Clinton‘s second term.

OPM clarified in a memo to federal agencies that employees will not receive an extra day off, even though the holidays overlap. General Schedule employees who work on Jan. 20 will be eligible for holiday premium pay, excluding Senior Executive Service employees. This differs from the 2021 Inauguration Day, when federal employees received two separate days off for MLK Day and Inauguration Day.

The memo also addressed pay, leave, and benefits for noncareer appointees resigning on Inauguration Day. OPM stated that resigning appointees should be paid for hours worked until noon on Jan. 20, with accrued leave and retirement benefits determined by their position and work schedule. Health benefits will continue until the end of the pay period on Jan. 25, with options for extended coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program.

Additionally, federal agencies will observe an extra holiday in January 2025 to honor the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. OPM’s guidance ensures that federal employees and resigning appointees are compensated fairly during this unique holiday overlap.