Governor Morrisey Grants State Workers Three Day New Year Break

Governor Patrick Morrisey announced a proclamation on December 29 granting state employees an extra paid day off on the Friday following New Year’s Day. The proclamation was issued in addition to the already scheduled half day on Wednesday December 31 and the full day on Thursday January 1. The governor said he hoped employees could use the extended time off to ring in the New Year with loved ones.

For McDowell County residents the immediate impact will be on state operated services and offices. State agencies typically follow gubernatorial proclamations, so motor vehicle offices, workforce and other state administered customer service centers may be closed or operating with reduced staff on Friday January 2. Residents who planned to conduct business with state offices in the first week of the new year should confirm hours by phone or online before traveling.

The proclamation also raises routine administrative questions about continuity of essential functions. State agencies generally maintain core public safety and emergency operations when administrative leave is granted, while nonemergency public facing services pause. Local county and municipal offices are separate from the state workforce and may set their own schedules, so McDowell County government operations will depend on local decisions.

Policy implications include the cost to taxpayers of an additional paid administrative day and the precedent this sets for future holiday scheduling. Advocates for workforce morale say occasional administrative leave recognizes sustained public service workloads, while fiscal watchdogs point to the need for transparency about budget impacts. The proclamation was framed as a gesture toward employee wellbeing rather than a change to statutory holidays.

Residents who need state services in the coming days should verify office availability and consider online alternatives where possible. Confirming hours will help avoid unnecessary trips to closed offices and ensure access to critical services in the days after the holiday.