Holidays laws & compensation compliance analysis

Holidays: What you need to know

The federal government has designated certain days as “national holidays.” Federal government offices and national banks close their offices in observance of national holidays (5 USCA Sec. 6103).
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Most states observe the same holidays as those observed by the federal government. There are variations, however.
National holidays. Days designated as holidays by the federal government are:
Holiday Observed
New Year's Day January 1
Inauguration Day January 20 (every fourth year, following a presidential election)
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Third Monday in January
Washington's Birthday Third Monday in February
Memorial Day Last Monday in May
Independence Day July 4
Labor Day First Monday in September
Columbus Day Second Monday in October
Veterans Day November 11
Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day December 25
Federal holidays will be observed on Friday if they occur on a Saturday and on Monday if they occur on a Sunday.
The federal holiday on the third Monday in February is known as Washington's Birthday, but the day is celebrated by some as Presidents Day.
Private employers are not required to observe national holidays, except for banks that follow the closing schedule of the Federal Reserve Board. Granting paid time off for holidays in private employment is more a matter of custom and union contract negotiation than law.
Standard Holidays
Private employers almost universally observe six holidays. The “standard six” are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. After the standard six, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Good Friday, and Presidents Day are the next most commonly observed holidays across the ...

Read more about Holidays

State Requirements

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | District of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | National | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming |

Holidays Resources

Type Title
Policies Personal Holiday Guidelines
See all Holidays Resources