The U.S. federal holidays are defined by the federal government. Federal law 5 U.S.C. 6103 establishes the required holiday schedule for federal employees and also provides the name for such holidays. It is common practice for other entities—state and local governments, public
sector employers, nonprofit organizations, private sector employers—to base their paid holiday schedule on the federal holiday schedule. Below is information about the 2022 and 2023 federal holiday schedules. In addition, information is provided regarding private sector holiday schedules and compensation, so you can compare and determine how your paid holiday schedule lines up with standard practices. Federal employees are granted 11 paid holidays annually. Here is a list of holidays observed by the U.S. government: Inauguration Day is also considered a paid federal holiday every four years on January 20. If January 20 falls on a Sunday, then January 21 is the day off for employees.Federal
holiday schedule and dates
The 2022 federal holiday dates as days off for federal employees are:
- December 31 – New Year’s
- January 17 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- February 21 – George Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day
- May 30 – Memorial Day
- June 20 – Juneteenth National Independence Day
- July 4 – Independence Day/Fourth of July
- September 5 – Labor Day
- October 10 – Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day
- November 11 – Veterans Day
- November 24 – Thanksgiving
- December 26 – Christmas
The 2023 federal holiday dates as days off for federal employees are:
- January 2 – New Year’s
- January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- February 20 – George Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day
- May 29 – Memorial Day
- June 19 – Juneteenth National Independence Day
- July 4 – Independence Day/Fourth of July
- September 4 – Labor Day
- October 9 – Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day
- November 10 – Veterans Day
- November 23 – Thanksgiving
- December 25 – Christmas
Federal holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal employees typically work Monday through Friday schedules. For federal holidays that fall on a Saturday, employees get the Friday preceding the holiday off. For federal holidays that fall on a Sunday, employees are granted the following Monday as their day off.
Private sector holiday observances
Private sector employers typically provide their employees with at least some federal holidays as paid holidays. However, they are not generally required to offer any of those holidays as time off or paid if time off.
When private sector employers offer paid holidays, it’s typically for:
- New Year’s
- Easter
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day/Fourth of July
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Friday after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day
It’s also common for employers to include the following holidays as part of their paid holiday schedule:
- George Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day
- Juneteenth
- Good Friday
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Veterans Day
- Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day
- Christmas Eve
- New Year’s Eve
- Election Day
Many employers grant the employee’s birthday as a paid holiday. Offering one to two personal or floating holidays is also a common practice among private sector employers. These holidays are intended for employees to use in any way they choose, such as to observe religious holidays not offered as days off by the company and birthdays.
Private sector holiday pay practices
The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require private employers to pay workers for time off, including vacation and holidays. However, many companies offer some sort of holiday pay. Holiday pay is generally outlined in the employee handbook or in the employment contract between you and the organization. Additionally, state and local governments sometimes have additional paid holiday practices that companies must abide by.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average number of paid holidays for full-time employees in 2017 was eight, with an average of 76% of full-time employees across all industries receiving paid holidays. The number of paid holidays received varies based on variables such as industry, the level within the organization, and employment status. Some companies might choose to pay part-time employees holiday pay, whereas others reserve paid holidays for full-time employees.
Holiday compensation for private sector employees required to work
Some companies require employees to work on holidays out of necessity based on business needs or services. Others require holiday work for profitability reasons. Industries that must have workers available 24/7 for seven days a week include healthcare services needed for direct patient care, such as food services, nursing, custodial services, and emergency room care. Gas stations, retail establishments, restaurants, customer support centers, grocery stores, and companies in the manufacturing industry that need to keep up with needs and demand typically require workers on holidays.
On-call employees are necessary for utility and energy companies offering electricity, gas, and water services, snow removal staff, physician offices, behavioral health services, internet services, and telephone services. Companies typically have an on-call schedule established for employees that will be required to work on some holidays.
Most workers that must work on holidays are hourly employees. Regardless, companies usually compensate employees for working on a holiday with either time and a half or double time pay. Some companies offer comp time for salaried employees, meaning if the employee works on a holiday, they can take time off on another day or days that aligns with the number of hours worked on the holiday. These types of compensation and pay practices can make it worthwhile for employees to work on holidays, especially if they prefer additional compensation or another day off for a holiday or day they prefer over one that is scheduled.
How does your paid holiday schedule compare?
Now you have the knowledge to compare your paid holiday schedule with the industry standard. When you’re considering a new job offer or negotiating for additional time off with your current employer, you can utilize this information. So, how do your paid holiday allowances stack up based on the insights provided here?