The end of slavery in America is certainly worth celebrating, but these federal holidays are getting mighty expensive.
Today’s Juneteenth paid holiday for all federal employees comes just as the government is starting to reopen. Most federal employees have gotten full pay over the past year for “working” remotely at home, so a paid holiday to stay home when many are just getting back to their offices seems excessive, to say the least.
Adam Andrzejewski of OpenTheBooks calculated that federal employees now can get 44 paid days off each year — at least two more weeks off than what most private-sector workers earn. No wonder federal employment is commonly spoofed as Club Fed.
Club Fed Paid Days Off:
Federal Holidays: 11
Sick Days:13
Vacation Days: 20
Andrzejewski estimates that each paid holiday costs federal taxpayers more than $800 million. And that doesn’t include some in the military and postal workers. When adding those employees, the cost is approaching $1 billion for this day off.
Oh, and don’t forget that the Democrats in the House passed a bill, which is now in the Senate, that would make Election Day a federal holiday.
We are getting very close to federal employees (many of whom make more than $100,000 a year when including benefits) working the equivalent of four days a week.