There are 11 federal holidays in 2026. Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the public holidays listed below for federal employees as paid vacation days.
Most federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule, so for these employees, if a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it is usually observed on Monday (when the holiday is on a Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Thursday, January 01 | New Year’s Day |
| Monday, January 19 | Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| Monday, February 16 * | Washington’s Birthday |
| Monday, May 25 | Memorial Day |
| Friday, June 19 | Juneteenth National Independence Day |
| Friday, July 03 ** | Independence Day |
| Monday, September 07 | Labor Day |
| Monday, October 12 | Columbus Day |
| Wednesday, November 11 | Veterans Day |
| Thursday, November 26 | Thanksgiving Day |
| Friday, December 25 | Christmas Day |
*This holiday is designated as “Washington’s Birthday” in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.
**If a holiday falls on a Saturday, for most Federal employees, the preceding Friday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5 U.S.C. 6103(b).) If a holiday falls on a Sunday, for most Federal employees, the following Monday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See Section 3(a) of Executive Order 11582, February 11, 1971.) See also OPM’s Federal Holidays – “In Lieu Of” Determination Fact Sheet.
Federal Holiday Pay FAQs
All the information in these FAQs is compiled from OPM’s official guidance on holiday pay. For more details, see OPM’s fact sheets on holiday pay and in lieu of holidays.
Q: Are federal employees paid for holidays? A: Yes, most federal employees receive paid time off for designated federal holidays when excused from duty.
Q: What if I work on a federal holiday? A: Employees who work on a holiday may receive holiday premium pay in addition to their regular pay.
Q: How is holiday premium pay calculated? A: For each hour worked on a holiday, employees receive holiday premium pay equal to their rate of basic pay in addition to their regular pay, effectively doubling their pay (200% of their basic rate) for those hours.
Q: Are part-time employees paid for holidays? A: Part-time employees are entitled to a holiday when their daily tour of duty commences on a calendar holiday. This does not include overtime work. Part-time employees who are excused from work on a holiday receive their rate of basic pay for the applicable number of holiday hours.
Q: What happens if a holiday falls on my scheduled day off? A: All full-time employees, including those on flexible or compressed work schedules, are entitled to an “in lieu of” holiday when a holiday falls on the employee’s nonworkday.
Q: How do flexible or compressed work schedules affect holiday pay? A: Full-time employees on flexible work schedules receive 8 hours of credit for holidays, regardless of their scheduled hours. Full-time employees on compressed work schedules are excused from their basic work requirement hours on holidays.
Federal Holidays “In Lieu Of” FAQs
Q: What is an “In Lieu Of” holiday? A: A substitute paid holiday given to full-time federal employees when a federal holiday falls on a nonworkday (e.g., weekend).
Q: Who is eligible for an “In Lieu Of” holiday? A: Full-time employees, including those on flexible or compressed schedules. Part-time and intermittent employees are not eligible.
Q: How is the “In Lieu Of” holiday determined? A: For Monday-Friday schedules, if a holiday falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed; if on Sunday, the following Monday is observed.
Q: How many hours of paid holiday time off can I claim? A: Typically, 8 hours regardless of schedule type.
