[Decision Concerning Entitlement of Army Employee to Holiday Pay]

The Army requested a decision concerning a civilian employee's entitlement to holiday pay while she was on leave without pay before and after the holiday. GAO noted that: (1) the employee was on leave without pay before the holiday because she did not have any accrued leave; (2) the Army charged the employee leave without pay for the first hour on the day after the holiday because she arrived at her duty station an hour late; and (3) since the employee was not in a pay status at the beginning of the day following the holiday, the Army did not pay her for the holiday. GAO held that, since the employee had not anticipated her delay in reporting to work, it was reasonable to conclude that, but for the holiday, she would have worked on the day designated as a holiday. Accordingly, the Army should pay the employee for the holiday.