If you had plans to contact Social Security December 24 you better change them.
Although Christmas Eve falls on a Monday, Social Security will not be open for business by orders of President Donald Trump who issued the executive order December 18. All federal offices will be closed December 24, excusing employees from work.
The executive order indicates that under the order, “the heads of executive departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on December 24, 2018, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need.”
This is no out of the ordinary, as presidents have historically granted federal employees an extra day off on December 24 if Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday as it does this year. The last three previous times Christmas fell on a Tuesday, under President Barack Obama and George W. Bush, in 2012, 2007 and 2001, federal employees were also given December 24 off.
Because the day off was no guarantee and Trump’s executive order was issued less than a week before Christmas Eve, it is possible the agency scheduled appointments with customers for retirement or disability-related matters, but if you made an appointment with Social Security December 24 you should call and change it.
This news could be frustrating to some people, especially considering how difficult it is and sometimes how long it takes to receive service at a Social Security office, but considering this has happened the last three times Christmas has fallen on a Tuesday, it should not be a major surprise. This is the second time in a month Social Security has closed for business somewhat unexpectedly. All Social Security offices were closed December 5 for the National Day of Mour
