Holiday Pay Calculator
Plug in your hourly rate, holiday hours, and pay multiplier to see your holiday pay, premium bonus, and total weekly earnings.
Hourly Rate
Holiday Hours Worked
Holiday Pay Rate
Regular Hours That Week
Annual estimate based on 11 federal holidays per year.
Track Every Shift Automatically
Hours44 logs your hours, figures out overtime, and shows what you actually take home.
How Holiday Pay Works in the U.S.
There is no federal law requiring holiday pay in the United States. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not make private employers offer paid holidays or extra pay for working on holidays. Whether you get holiday pay, and how much, comes down to your employer's policy, your contract, or a union agreement.
Most holiday compensation falls into two buckets: paid time off (you get your regular pay without working) and premium pay (extra pay for working the holiday). The most common premium rates are 1.5x (time and a half) and 2x (double time). A few employers go higher, offering 2.5x or 3x for major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Federal employees get 11 paid holidays a year. In the private sector, most companies offer 6 to 8, though no law sets a minimum.
Holiday pay vs. overtime pay
Holiday premium pay and overtime pay are two separate things under federal law. FLSA overtime (1.5x your regular rate) only kicks in after 40 hours actually worked in a workweek. The distinction that matters:
- Paid holiday hours off (you don't work but get paid) do not count toward the 40-hour overtime threshold.
- Worked holiday hours (you actually work the holiday) do count toward your weekly total.
Say you work 32 regular hours plus 8 hours on the holiday. That's 40 total hours, so no overtime. But if you work 36 regular hours plus 8 on the holiday, that's 44 hours worked, and 4 hours of overtime may apply. Some employer policies stack holiday premium on top of overtime, so check your handbook.
Common holiday pay policies by industry
- Retail and hospitality: Often 1.5x for holidays, sometimes 2x for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
- Healthcare and emergency services: Commonly 1.5x–2x, sometimes with a shift differential on top.
- Manufacturing: Often follows union contract rates (1.5x–2.5x).
- Office and corporate: Usually paid time off rather than premium pay for working.
- Federal government: 11 paid holidays; premium pay for holiday work follows OPM rules.
- Gig and contract workers: No holiday pay or premium in most cases.
2026 U.S. federal holidays
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 | Thursday |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 19 | Monday |
| Presidents' Day | February 16 | Monday |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Monday |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | Friday |
| Independence Day | July 4 (observed July 3) | Saturday |
| Labor Day | September 7 | Monday |
| Columbus Day | October 12 | Monday |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | Wednesday |
| Thanksgiving | November 26 | Thursday |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Friday |
When a holiday falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday is usually observed. When it falls on Sunday, the following Monday is observed instead. Private employers pick which holidays to recognize; they don't have to follow the federal calendar.
Holiday pay by hourly rate (8-hour shift)
| Hourly Rate | Regular Pay | 1.5x Holiday | 1.5x Premium | 2x Holiday | 2x Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $80.00 | $120.00 | $40.00 | $160.00 | $80.00 |
| $12.00 | $96.00 | $144.00 | $48.00 | $192.00 | $96.00 |
| $15.00 | $120.00 | $180.00 | $60.00 | $240.00 | $120.00 |
| $18.00 | $144.00 | $216.00 | $72.00 | $288.00 | $144.00 |
| $20.00 | $160.00 | $240.00 | $80.00 | $320.00 | $160.00 |
| $25.00 | $200.00 | $300.00 | $100.00 | $400.00 | $200.00 |
| $30.00 | $240.00 | $360.00 | $120.00 | $480.00 | $240.00 |
| $35.00 | $280.00 | $420.00 | $140.00 | $560.00 | $280.00 |
| $40.00 | $320.00 | $480.00 | $160.00 | $640.00 | $320.00 |
| $45.00 | $360.00 | $540.00 | $180.00 | $720.00 | $360.00 |
| $50.00 | $400.00 | $600.00 | $200.00 | $800.00 | $400.00 |
| $60.00 | $480.00 | $720.00 | $240.00 | $960.00 | $480.00 |
Weekly gross pay with holiday (32 regular + 8 holiday hours)
| Hourly Rate | 1x (Reg) | 1.5x Week | 2x Week | 3x Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $400.00 | $440.00 | $480.00 | $560.00 |
| $15.00 | $600.00 | $660.00 | $720.00 | $840.00 |
| $20.00 | $800.00 | $880.00 | $960.00 | $1,120.00 |
| $25.00 | $1,000.00 | $1,100.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,400.00 |
| $30.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,320.00 | $1,440.00 | $1,680.00 |
| $35.00 | $1,400.00 | $1,540.00 | $1,680.00 | $1,960.00 |
| $40.00 | $1,600.00 | $1,760.00 | $1,920.00 | $2,240.00 |
| $50.00 | $2,000.00 | $2,200.00 | $2,400.00 | $2,800.00 |
Disclaimer: This calculator shows gross pay estimates based on the inputs you provide. The FLSA does not require private employers to provide holiday pay. Results reflect common employer policies, not legal requirements. Talk to your employer or a labor attorney for your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about holiday pay in the United States
Is holiday pay required by law in the United States?
No. The FLSA does not require private employers to offer paid holidays or extra pay for working on holidays. Holiday pay comes down to employer policies, employment contracts, or collective bargaining agreements. Federal contractors may be required to provide holiday pay under the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act.
How do you calculate time and a half for holiday pay?
Multiply your regular hourly rate by 1.5 to get your time-and-a-half rate, then multiply by holiday hours worked. For example, at $20/hour for 8 hours: $20 × 1.5 = $30/hour, then $30 × 8 = $240 total holiday pay.
Does holiday pay count toward overtime?
It depends on whether you actually work the hours. Paid holiday hours off generally do not count toward the 40-hour overtime threshold under FLSA. But if you work the holiday, those hours count toward your weekly total. Go over 40, and you may be owed overtime on the extra hours.
What is the difference between holiday pay and holiday premium pay?
Holiday pay covers any compensation tied to a holiday, whether that's regular pay for a day off or extra pay for working. Holiday premium pay is the bonus portion above your regular rate. If you earn $20/hr and get time-and-a-half ($30/hr), the premium is the extra $10/hr, or $80 for an 8-hour shift.
What are the 11 federal holidays in the United States?
New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Private employers don't have to observe any of these, but most offer at least 6–8 paid holidays.
Do part-time employees get holiday pay?
No federal law requires it. It is up to the employer. Many companies require a minimum number of hours per week (often 20–30) or a certain length of employment before you qualify. Some prorate holiday pay based on the employee's regular schedule.
How much is double time for holidays?
Double time is twice your regular hourly rate. At $20/hour, that's $40/hour. Work an 8-hour holiday shift at double time and you earn $320. The premium (the bonus above your normal pay) is $160.
Can my employer require me to work on a holiday?
Yes. No federal law gives private-sector employees the right to turn down holiday work. Your employer can schedule you on any holiday. That said, union members may have protections in their collective bargaining agreement, and a few states have specific rules for retail workers.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Holiday Pay, FLSA Overtime Pay (Fact Sheet #23), Homebase Holiday Pay Guide, Patriot Software, QuickBooks, Paycor
Need More Than a Quick Calculation?
Hours44 tracks your shifts, calculates overtime automatically, and shows your real take-home pay.