Holiday Pay Calculator
Enter your rate and your employer’s holiday policy. See what a worked holiday pays, what a paid holiday off is worth, and the yearly value of the policy.
| Premium above a normal day | — |
| Value of one paid holiday off | — |
| Yearly value of all paid holidays | — |
The surprising legal truth about holiday pay (US)
Federal law requires no holiday premium and no paid holidays at all — both are entirely employer policy (or union contract). The common private-sector customs: 10–11 paid holidays for full-time salaried roles, and 1.5× for hourly staff who work major holidays, with 2× at many hospitals, plants, and retailers on marquee days.
Holiday pay = Rate × Hours × Premium multiplier
What the policy is worth in real money
Ten paid holidays at $20/hour is $1,600/year of pay for not working — about 0.8% of salary that job ads never headline. When comparing offers, add paid holidays + vacation days into the compensation math; a job with 6 holidays vs 12 hides a ~$1,000 gap at typical wages.
Holiday + overtime stacking
A holiday worked in a 45-hour week raises the classic question: does the premium stack with overtime? Usually the holiday hours count toward the 40-hour threshold, but paid-but-not-worked holiday hours usually do not. Policies differ — the employee handbook is the authority.
Frequently asked questions
Is holiday pay time and a half?
Only if your employer chooses it — no US federal law requires holiday premiums. 1.5× is the common private custom for hourly workers on major holidays; healthcare and manufacturing often pay 2×.
What holidays are usually paid?
The common US ten: New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (often plus the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve).
How much is 8 hours of double time at $20/hour?
$320 — twice the normal $160 day. The premium above normal pay is $160.
Do part-time workers get paid holidays?
Often not, or pro-rated — it is employer policy. Where offered, part-time holiday pay typically scales with the FTE fraction, like other benefits.
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Last updated: 2026-07-08