For the third time in three years, Gov. Josh Green is giving state employees extra paid time off work during the holiday season.

The governor is providing two vacation days for tens of thousands of workers to use between Nov. 27 and Jan. 10, while many will be able to forego work on the day after Thanksgiving as well as either the day before Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

“As we approach the holiday season, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation for your continued dedication and service to the people of Hawaii,” Green said in an executive memo to department leaders on Oct. 22. “In recognition of your contributions, department heads are authorized to grant all salaried employees sixteen hours of administrative leave during this period.”

Green said a full closure of state executive branch offices will occur Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving known as “Black Friday” when many people go shopping, though employees needed for essential public services in areas that include law enforcement and emergency management cannot take this day off and have the broader time frame to use the two extra days of paid leave.

“I encourage department heads to ensure that these arrangements are made equitably, allowing as many employees as possible to participate while maintaining essential public services,” Green said in the memo.

The 16 hours of paid time off is available to full-time salaried employees. Part-time salaried employees are to receive a proportionate amount of leave based on their regular schedule. Employees paid on an hourly basis or those on suspension or leave without pay on any of the designated dates are not eligible. Also, employees on scheduled paid breaks by collective bargaining agreement are not entitled to administrative leave, according to the memo.

On Thursday, Green’s office issued a press release announcing the extra administrative leave after the Honolulu Star-Advertiser inquired about it Wednesday.

In the press release, Green said, “The holiday season is an essential time to spend with family and friends, especially as schools are closed. Black Friday is an important day for small businesses across our state. As we enter the holiday season, I encourage everyone to take this time to rest, enjoy quality time with loved ones and support local businesses across our islands. By shopping local, we help sustain our communities, strengthen our economy and preserve the unique spirit of Hawaii.”

Two years ago after recently being elected governor, Green also granted full-time salaried employees 16 hours of special administrative leave during the holidays and into the new year.

At the time, a spokesperson for Green said they believed that granting two extra days of holiday time off may be unprecedented for a Hawaii governor in recent history. State workers had 14 regular holidays in 2022.

Retired University of Hawaii political science professor Neal Milner said after Green’s 2022 holiday leave decision that the governor might be criticized by some members of the general public for giving state employees bonus paid time off for doing their jobs as usual, but that the then-new governor should earn appreciation from those employees.

“It’s not going to be a popular (public) message,” Milner said, “but it’s a good message in the sense of saying our state workers for the most part are good people and hard workers.”

In 2023, Green bestowed eight hours of paid time off to state workers around the holiday season under similar conditions.