McDonnell to shut down state offices on 12/23, hold town hall

Governor Bob McDonnell announced plans today to shut down state offices on December 23rd so that state employees could enjoy an additional day off with their families. The paid day off applies to all state workers. Those who work in agencies with alternating holiday schedules will receive 8 hours in compensatory time.

In an e-mail sent to state workers obtained by NBC12, McDonnell writes that the day off is his way of saying thank you for a year of hard work by the commonwealth employees.

“(The day off is) a small token of my thanks for your continued hard work and dedication to serving the citizens of our Commonwealth,” said McDonnell.

In addition to the day off, the Governor also announced plans to hold a state workforce “town hall”. The town hall would give employees the chance to sound off about their working conditions and give the McDonnell administration some ideas of how things can be improved.

Workers that can’t be in Richmond for the event can participate via the internet. They are also invited to email questions in advance.

The full e-mail from Governor McDonnell to the state workforce can be found below:

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December 6, 2010

Dear Fellow State Employee:

The holiday season is upon us, and I want to make you aware of several things.

First, as a small token of my thanks for your continued hard work and dedication to serving the citizens of our Commonwealth, I am pleased to announce that I have approved an additional eight hours of time off during the holiday season. State offices will now be closed on December 23, 2010. Agencies that operate alternate holiday schedules should treat the additional eight hours as compensatory time.

In my Thanksgiving holiday message to you, I mentioned my plan to host a State Employee Town Hall in December. This Town Hall will take place at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 14 in the Patrick Henry Building’s West Reading Room and will be streamed live on my website so state employees across the Commonwealth may participate. I encourage you to submit a question or comment via email to governor.ofvirginia @dhrm.virginia.gov. Registration for the Town Hall is being accepted on a first come/first served basis. I look forward to this opportunity to hear what matters to you most.

Finally, as a follow-up to the Employee Town Hall, I will be asking you to participate in an employee engagement survey in order to ensure that your hard work remains motivating and fulfilling. More information will be coming soon.

I wish you and your family a safe and joyous holiday season.

Sincerely,

Governor Robert F. McDonnell