Are Federal Holidays Paid? Holiday Pay Calculator 2026

How this calculation works

Federal law does not require private employers to pay a premium for holiday work — only the standard 40-hour weekly overtime rule applies.

This calculator models the common 2× holiday premium plus regular and overtime hours.

How this Are Federal Holidays Paid? Holiday Pay Calculator works — 2026 guide

Are federal holidays required to be paid? Under the FLSA, no — private employers are not legally required to pay a premium for holiday work, nor to pay non-working staff for the day off. Holiday pay (1.5× or 2×) comes from employer policy, union contracts, or federal-employee law (5 U.S.C. 5542). This 2026 holiday pay calculator models the common 2× premium and folds in regular and overtime hours so a full holiday shift is one number.

How to use it in 3 steps

1. Enter your regular hourly rate and the hours worked on the federal holiday.
2. Set the holiday premium (commonly 2×; the calculator also supports 1.5× or none).
3. Read total pay, split into regular, holiday-premium, and any weekly overtime portions.

Who this is for

Retail and healthcare staff working Thanksgiving/July 4th, payroll admins running holiday premiums, and employees checking whether their holiday check is right. Pair it with the [US federal holiday pay rules guide](/blog/us-federal-holiday-pay-rules/) and the [2026 federal holidays list](/blog/us-federal-holidays-2026/) for the full calendar.

Data sources & authoritative references

This calculator is built on official U.S. rules and published statistics. Key sources:

• U.S. Office of Personnel Management — 2026 Federal Holidays
• 5 U.S.C. 5542 — Federal Holiday Premium Pay
• U.S. Department of Labor — FLSA Overtime Fact Sheet #23