How the holiday pay calculator works
Enter the hours you worked on non-holiday days, the hours you worked on the holiday, and your employer's holiday multiplier. If you received a paid day off for the holiday, enter those hours separately. Read how holiday pay works for the rules behind it. If the week also includes overtime, check the total with the overtime calculator.
Holiday pay formula
Worked examples
Working the holiday: $22.00 an hour, 32 regular hours, 8 holiday hours at time and a half
- Regular: 32 × $22.00 = $704.00.
- Holiday: 8 × $22.00 × 1.5 = $264.00.
- Total: $968.00, including a $88.00 premium.
Taking the holiday off with 8 paid holiday hours
- 32 × $22.00 + 8 × $22.00 = $880.00.
Holiday rates
| Base rate | Time and a half | Double time | 8 hours at 1.5× | 8 hours at 2× |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $22.50 | $30.00 | $180.00 | $240.00 |
| $18.00 | $27.00 | $36.00 | $216.00 | $288.00 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 | $40.00 | $240.00 | $320.00 |
| $22.00 | $33.00 | $44.00 | $264.00 | $352.00 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 | $50.00 | $300.00 | $400.00 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 | $60.00 | $360.00 | $480.00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is holiday pay required by law?
Not under federal law. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require pay for holidays you do not work, or premium pay for working on a holiday. Holiday pay comes from employer policy, contracts, or in some cases state or local rules.
How is holiday pay calculated?
For hours worked on a holiday, multiply the hours by your rate and by the holiday multiplier, such as 1.5 for time and a half. For a paid holiday you did not work, multiply the paid holiday hours by your base rate.
Does holiday premium pay count toward overtime?
Under federal rules, a genuine premium for working on a holiday, such as time and a half, can generally be credited toward overtime owed for that week. Pay for a holiday you did not work generally does not count as hours worked for overtime. See 29 CFR 778.219 in the sources.
Which days are holidays?
Your employer decides which holidays it observes. The 11 US federal holidays and their observed dates are listed in the business days calculator and in how to count business days.
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How this calculator was built. The formula, defaults, and edge cases are documented in a research record and covered by automated tests. It estimates gross amounts from your inputs; it does not determine legal entitlements, taxes, or take-home pay. Read our methodology and disclaimer.
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