Florida’s state employees can celebrate Thanksgiving early with paid time off Wednesday

State employees can start preheating their ovens on Wednesday since they are getting an early Thanksgiving holiday this year.

State offices, including the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, are closing Wednesday before Thanksgiving, giving employees an extra day off at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ request. According to a state memo, employees who are required to work Wednesday can take the extra day off another time before June 30.

“Gov. DeSantis has directed DMS to close all executive state buildings on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024,” spokesperson Bryan Griffin said.

Last year, in addition to regularly scheduled holidays, DeSantis gave state employees an extra day off on Dec. 26 and 29, 2023, and Jan. 2, 2024, for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Griffin told Florida Politics that information about possible time-off for Christmas will be announced in December.

“Our state employees have worked tirelessly throughout the year to aid and assist Florida families,” DeSantis said at the time.

Thanksgiving is a major travel holiday around the county.

AAA estimated that nearly 80 million people will travel at least 50 miles away from home this Thanksgiving.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel, in a news release. “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”

The Florida Highway Patrol is bracing for more crashes with the increased number of drivers on the roads and warning people to be careful.

This Thanksgiving is also expected to be a busy time for retailers, with Black Friday kicking off the holiday shopping season.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) projected that shoppers will spend an average of $902 on gifts by the time Christmas and other holidays arrive.

“Florida retailers are prepared to make this holiday season truly memorable, with the latest trends and products, outstanding customer service, and holiday deals to meet record-breaking consumer demand,” said Florida Retail Federation President and CEO Scott Shalley. “We’re ready to help Floridians create joyful celebrations and meet all of their holiday shopping needs.”