Holiday Pay 2025: Do You Get Double Time or Time-and-a-Half?

Working a holiday? See what U.S. law actually requires in 2025, when double time or time-and-a-half applies, how overtime really works, and simple steps to check your paycheck.

Holiday Pay 2025: Do You Get Double Time or Time-and-a-Half?

Short answer: Under U.S. federal law, holiday premium pay (like time-and-a-half or double time) is not required for private-sector workers. Whether you get extra pay depends on your employer’s policy, a union contract, or state rules.

What is required federally is overtime after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5× your regular rate. If you work a holiday and that pushes you over 40 hours, overtime applies—even if your employer doesn’t offer special “holiday pay.”

TL;DR: Check your employee handbook or union contract first, then verify your hours. If you crossed 40 hours, federal overtime rules kick in.

Why this matters (and how to use this guide)

If you’re an hourly worker, you just want to know: “How much will I take home?”

This guide explains—in plain English—what “holiday pay” really means, what the law says, and how to calculate your paycheck for common holiday scenarios.

We’ll also list the 2025 federal holidays so you can plan your schedule.

1) What “holiday pay” really means

People use “holiday pay” to mean different things. Here are the three most common versions:

1. Paid holiday (not worked): Your employer pays you for the day off.
2. Premium pay for working the holiday: Extra pay for the hours you actually work that day (often 1.5× or 2×).
3. Overtime because you hit 40+ hours: Even if your employer doesn’t offer a special holiday premium, you still get overtime for hours above 40 in the workweek.

Only #3 is guaranteed by federal law—and only if you exceed 40 hours in that employer-defined workweek. #1 and #2 are employer policy or union/contract rules.

2) What federal law actually requires (quick facts)

• Overtime: 1.5× your regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a single workweek (a fixed 7-day, 168-hour period set by the employer).
• No required “holiday premium”: The FLSA doesn’t force private employers to pay extra for holidays, weekends, or rest days unless those hours put you over 40.
• No pay for time not worked: Federal law doesn’t require paid holidays or vacation; that’s up to the employer.

Translation: Holiday ≠ automatic double time. It’s about your employer policy/contract and your weekly total hours.

3) What employer policies & union contracts usually say

Many employers choose to pay more for holidays to attract and keep good people. Common setups:

• Time-and-a-half for the holiday shift (1.5×)
• Double time (2×) on specific days (for example, Thanksgiving or Christmas)
• Holiday worked = extra hours banked for a later day off
• Paid holiday when not working (for full-timers, sometimes pro-rated for part-timers)

If you’re unionized, your collective bargaining agreement likely spells out the exact rate and which holidays count. In non-union workplaces, your handbook or HR memo is your roadmap.

Pro tip: If the handbook says “time-and-a-half for holidays,” that’s in addition to any overtime triggered by going over 40 hours that week (the exact math depends on your policy—see examples below).

4) What about state rules?

Federal standards are the floor, not the ceiling. Some states add extra protections.

For example, a few have daily overtime or special retail/holiday rules; others stick with weekly overtime only. Always check your state labor agency if your situation is unique (night work, Sunday rules, retail restrictions, etc.).

When in doubt, ask HR to confirm state-specific policies they follow and keep the reply for your records.

(We focus here on the federal baseline. State or city rules can be stricter.)

5) The math: how to calculate your holiday paycheck (with examples)

Let’s build this step by step. Grab your last pay stub to find your regular rate (hourly base).

If you’re tipped, commission-based, or receive shift differentials, your regular rate can include more than your base—ask HR if you’re not sure.

A. No special holiday policy, under 40 hours this week

• Facts: You worked 8 hours on the holiday. Your total for the week is 38 hours.
• Result: You’re paid 8 hours at your regular rate. No overtime, no premium (because you didn’t cross 40 and there’s no special holiday policy).

B. No special holiday policy, but you hit overtime

• Facts: You worked 46 hours this week; 8 of those hours were on the holiday.
• Result: You get 40 hours at regular rate + 6 hours at 1.5× (overtime). It doesn’t matter which day the hours happened; what matters is crossing 40 in the workweek.

C. Employer pays 1.5× for the holiday shift

• Facts: Policy says “time-and-a-half for hours worked on designated holidays.” You worked 8 hours on the holiday; weekly total is 38.
• Result: 8 hours × 1.5× (holiday premium). No overtime because weekly total is < 40.

D. Employer pays 2× (double time) for the holiday shift

• Facts: Policy says “double time on Christmas Day.” You worked 10 hours that day; weekly total is 36.
• Result: 10 hours × 2× (holiday premium). No overtime (still under 40).

E. Holiday premium and overtime in the same week

• Facts: Policy pays 1.5× for the holiday; your week totals 45 hours.
• Result (common method):
  1. Pay all holiday hours at 1.5× (policy premium).
  2. For the 5 hours over 40, pay overtime.
  3. If the holiday premium already equals 1.5×, some employers treat those holiday hours as satisfying the overtime rate for those hours (no “stacking” to 2.25×). Others layer premiums separately.
     Action: Check your handbook/contract—the stacking rule should be written there.

F. Night shift or shift differential on a holiday

• Facts: You get $1.00/hr night differential. Holiday is 1.5×.
• Result: Your regular rate for those hours may include the differential, so the 1.5× is calculated on a higher base. Confirm how your employer computes the regular rate.

G. Tipped employees

• Your regular rate must meet or exceed minimum wage after tips. Holiday premiums (if offered) should be calculated correctly on the regular rate that includes nondiscretionary payments. Ask HR/payroll how they compute it and save the response.

When in doubt:

1. Write down hours by day.
2. Total the week: did you cross 40?
3. Apply your employer’s holiday premium rule to the hours worked on the holiday.
4. Make sure overtime is paid for any hours above 40 in the workweek.

6) 2025 U.S. federal holidays (to plan your schedule)

These are the federal holidays set by law; private-sector employers can choose different policies and may not follow the federal calendar for pay. (Federal workers have separate rules.)

Federal holidays in 2025:

• New Year’s Day — Wednesday, January 1, 2025
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. — Monday, January 20, 2025
• Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day) — Monday, February 17, 2025
• Memorial Day — Monday, May 26, 2025
• Juneteenth National Independence Day — Thursday, June 19, 2025
• Independence Day — Friday, July 4, 2025
• Labor Day — Monday, September 1, 2025
• Columbus Day — Monday, October 13, 2025
• Veterans Day — Tuesday, November 11, 2025
• Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, November 27, 2025
• Christmas Day — Thursday, December 25, 2025

Note: Inauguration Day (for the Washington, DC area) is Monday, January 20, 2025, which coincides with MLK Day this year. This matters for federal employees more than private-sector workers.

7) Step-by-step: check your next holiday paycheck

1. Open your handbook or union contract. Search for “holiday,” “premium,” “double time,” or “observed holidays.”
2. Mark your scheduled hours for the week containing the holiday. Use your phone calendar.
3. Add the total hours: Did you cross 40? If yes, expect overtime (1.5×) for those extra hours.
4. Apply the holiday rule in your policy (1.5× or 2× for those specific hours, if offered).
5. Check stacking rules: Does holiday premium replace overtime for those hours, or do they combine? Your policy should say.
6. Save proof: Keep screenshots of your schedule, timeclock punches, and any HR emails.
7. Use a calculator to sanity-check the math (overtime + any holiday premium).
8. Spot errors early: If the stub looks off, talk to your manager or HR before the next payroll closes.

8) FAQs (quick and clear)

Q: Is double time required by law on holidays?
A: No. There’s no federal mandate for double time on holidays. That’s employer policy or a union/contract term.

Q: If I don’t work the holiday, do I get paid?
A: Federal law doesn’t require paid holidays. Many employers offer paid holidays as a benefit—check your handbook.

Q: I worked the holiday, but my week is 39 hours. Do I get overtime?
A: No overtime unless you go over 40 for the week. You might get a holiday premium if your employer offers it.

Q: I’m part-time. Do I get holiday benefits?
A: Depends on employer policy or a union/contract. Some pro-rate holiday pay for part-timers; others don’t.

Q: My store pays 2× on Thanksgiving. I also hit 43 hours. Do I get more on top?
A: Often, employers treat the holiday premium as the premium for those hours—meaning you might not get both 2× and a separate overtime premium on the same hours. It depends on your policy’s wording (ask HR how they stack holiday and overtime premiums).

Q: Do weekend or night hours change holiday pay?
A: Weekends don’t trigger federal overtime by themselves. Night shift differentials may increase your regular rate, which affects the premium math. Check your policy.

Q: I’m in a state with extra rules. What should I do?
A: Look up your state labor department’s guidance and match it against your employer policy. When state rules are stricter, employers generally must follow the stricter rule.

9) Real-life examples you can copy

Example 1 — “Just overtime” week:

• Base: $18/hr.
• Schedule: 8 hours each day Mon–Fri = 40 hours.
• Holiday: You worked 6 hours on Saturday (the holiday).
• Policy: No special holiday premium.
• Pay: 40 × $18 = $720 + 6 × ($18 × 1.5) = $162 → $882 total (before taxes). Overtime applies to the 6 extra hours because you passed 40.

Example 2 — Employer pays 1.5× on the holiday:

• Base: $20/hr; you worked 8 holiday hours; week total 38 hours.
• Pay: 30 × $20 = $600 + 8 × ($20 × 1.5) = $240 → $840.

Example 3 — Double time on the holiday + overtime in same week:

• Base: $22/hr; holiday = 10 hours at 2×; weekly total 46 hours.
• Common method: 30 regular hrs × $22 = $660, 10 holiday hrs × ($22 × 2) = $440, 6 overtime hrs × ($22 × 1.5) = $198 → $1,298 (policy may treat some hours differently; confirm the stacking rule).

Example 4 — Night differential on the holiday:

• Base: $17/hr; night differential +$1/hr; holiday premium 1.5×; worked 8 holiday hours at night.
• Regular rate for those hours = $18; holiday pay = 8 × ($18 × 1.5) = $216.

10) Your quick action plan (so you don’t leave money on the table)

1. Find the rule: Screenshot the holiday/OT section of your handbook or union contract.
2. Track your hours by day; set a reminder to total the week every Sunday.
3. Use an overtime/holiday calculator to project your paycheck before payday.
4. Verify your stub: check hours, rates, and premiums line-by-line.
5. Ask early if something looks off (mistakes are easier to fix before payroll closes).
6. Keep records: saving proof speeds up corrections and protects you if there’s a dispute.

11) 2025 scheduling notes (federal holidays quick glance)

This year, Independence Day falls on Friday (July 4), and Thanksgiving is Thursday (November 27).

Many employers see higher staffing needs on those days; check sign-up sheets early if you want (or don’t want) those shifts.

For federal workers, Inauguration Day is Monday, January 20, the same date as MLK Day—unique overlap this year. Private-sector rules may differ.

12) Friendly disclaimer

This guide is educational and explains the federal baseline. It’s not legal advice. Actual pay practices depend on your employer’s written policy, union contract, and any state/local rules that apply where you work. When things don’t add up, bring your handbook page and time records to HR and ask for a line-by-line explanation. If you still need help, consider contacting your state labor agency.

Sources for key rules referenced

• U.S. Department of Labor — Holiday pay overview: federal law does not require pay for time not worked (holidays). (DOL)
• U.S. Department of Labor — Overtime basics: 1.5× after 40 hours in a workweek; no special requirement for holidays/weekends unless OT hours are worked. (DOL)
• U.S. DOL — Workweek definition: fixed 168-hour period set by employer. (DOL)
• U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Federal holidays list and definitions (for federal employees). (OPM)
• U.S. Courts (2nd Cir.) — 2025 federal holiday dates (including Inauguration Day note). (ca2.uscourts.gov)