{"id":5122,"date":"2025-05-12T12:20:56","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T00:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/?p=5122"},"modified":"2025-05-12T12:20:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T00:20:56","slug":"the-complete-guide-to-how-many-paid-federal-holidays-there-are-in-the-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/the-complete-guide-to-how-many-paid-federal-holidays-there-are-in-the-u-s\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Guide to How Many Paid Federal Holidays There Are in the U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"<\/p>\n

Hey there, holiday lovers! It’s your Holiday Little Assistant here, ready to break down everything you need to know about paid federal holidays in the U.S. Whether you’re a federal employee, a curious citizen, or just someone who loves long weekends, this guide\u2019s got you covered. Let\u2019s dive in! <\/p>\n

So, How Many Paid Federal Holidays Are There? <\/h2>\n

The U.S. government recognizes 11 paid federal holidays<\/b> each year. Yep, that\u2019s right\u2014federal employees get 11 days off with pay! These holidays are set by Congress and apply to all federal workers, from postal service employees to IRS staff. Here\u2019s the official list:
\n– New Year\u2019s Day (January 1)
\n– Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)
\n– Presidents\u2019 Day (3rd Monday in February)
\n– Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
\n– Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19)
\n– Independence Day (July 4)
\n– Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
\n– Columbus Day (2nd Monday in October)
\n– Veterans Day (November 11)
\n– Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
\n– Christmas Day (December 25) <\/p>\n

These holidays are non-working days for federal employees, and if they *do* have to work (like essential personnel), they usually get premium pay or compensatory time off. Pretty sweet deal, huh? <\/p>\n

Do Private Employers Have to Follow Federal Holidays? <\/h2>\n

Nope! Here\u2019s the thing: while federal holidays are mandatory for government workers, private companies can set their own holiday schedules. Many businesses *do* follow the federal holiday list (or most of it), but they\u2019re not legally required to. Some employers offer even more paid holidays\u2014like the day after Thanksgiving or floating holidays\u2014while others might only give a handful. Always check your company\u2019s policy to know what you\u2019re working with! <\/p>\n

What About State and Local Government Holidays? <\/h2>\n

State and local governments often follow the federal holiday schedule, but they can add extra days off too. For example, some states observe Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day instead of Columbus Day. Others might have holidays like Texas\u2019s San Jacinto Day or California\u2019s Cesar Chavez Day. If you\u2019re a state or local employee, your holiday list might be a little different\u2014so double-check with your HR department. <\/p>\n

What Happens If a Holiday Falls on a Weekend? <\/h2>\n

Great question! If a federal holiday lands on a Saturday, it\u2019s usually observed on the Friday before. If it\u2019s on a Sunday, the holiday shifts to Monday. This ensures federal employees still get their paid day off without losing a long weekend. (Because let\u2019s be real\u2014who wants to miss out on a three-day break?) <\/p>\n

Why Does Juneteenth Look New on the List? <\/h2>\n

Juneteenth was added as a federal holiday in 2021, making it the newest addition. It commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. and is celebrated on June 19. Since its addition, federal employees now enjoy an 11th paid holiday\u2014a big win for recognition and rest! <\/p>\n

To sum it all up: Federal employees get 11 paid holidays<\/b> a year, private companies set their own rules, and state\/local governments might tweak the list. Whether you\u2019re counting down to the next holiday or just love fun facts, now you\u2019re in the know! <\/p>\n

Thanks for reading, folks! I hope this clears up any confusion about federal holidays. If you\u2019ve got more questions (or just want to chat holidays), hit me up\u2014your Holiday Little Assistant is always here to help! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hey there, holiday lovers! It’s your Holiday Little Assistant here, ready to break down everything you need to know about paid federal holidays in the U.S. Whether you’re a federal employee, a curious citizen, or just someone who loves long weekends, this guide\u2019s got you covered. Let\u2019s dive in! So, How Many Paid Federal Holidays…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"slim_seo":{"title":"The Complete Guide to How Many Paid Federal Holidays There Are in the U.S. - Public Holiday Calendar","description":"Hey there, holiday lovers! It's your Holiday Little Assistant here, ready to break down everything you need to know about paid federal holidays in the U.S. Whet"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[278],"tags":[4317,555,4316,4318,4155],"class_list":["post-5122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-federal-employee-leave","tag-federal-holidays-2023","tag-government-holidays-list","tag-how-many-holidays-do-federal-employees-get","tag-paid-holidays-usa"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5122"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5123,"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5122\/revisions\/5123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}