Holiday pay calculator: figure pay for working a holiday at 1.5x, 2x, or 2.5x, or the value of a paid holiday off for hourly and salaried employees.
Holiday Pay Formula
For hours worked on a holiday, pay is your regular rate times the holiday premium multiplier:
HP = R * m * H
For a paid holiday you take off, the value is a normal day’s wages:
V = R * Hday or V = S / 260
Variables:
- HP is pay for working the holiday and V is the value of a paid holiday off
- R is the regular hourly rate, H is hours worked on the holiday, and Hday is the length of a normal workday
- m is the holiday premium multiplier: 1.5 (time and a half) is most common, with 2 and 2.5 used by some employers and union contracts
- S is an annual salary and 260 is the typical number of weekday workdays in a year
Pick what you want to find at the top. In worked-holiday mode, choose the premium your employer pays and, if your policy stacks paid holiday hours on top of the premium, turn that option on to add straight-time holiday pay. In day-off mode, enter either your hourly rate and normal day length or your salary, and the calculator returns what the paid day is worth.
Holiday Rates by Wage and Premium
Hourly holiday rates at the three common premiums, with pay for an 8-hour holiday shift at time and a half.
| Regular rate | 1.5x rate | 2x rate | 2.5x rate | 8 hrs at 1.5x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $22.50 | $30.00 | $37.50 | $180.00 |
| $18.00 | $27.00 | $36.00 | $45.00 | $216.00 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 | $40.00 | $50.00 | $240.00 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 | $50.00 | $62.50 | $300.00 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 | $60.00 | $75.00 | $360.00 |
| $35.00 | $52.50 | $70.00 | $87.50 | $420.00 |
Example Problems
Example 1: You earn $18 per hour and work 8 hours on Thanksgiving at double time, plus your employer pays the 8-hour holiday on top.
Worked pay is 18 * 2 * 8 = $288. The paid holiday adds 18 * 8 = $144.
Total for the day = 288 + 144 = $432, which is $288 more than a normal $144 day.
Example 2: The value of a paid holiday for a $62,400 salary.
V = 62,400 / 260 = $240. That is what the day off is effectively worth in pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is holiday pay required by law?
Federal law does not require premium pay or paid time off for holidays; a holiday is legally just another workday under the FLSA. Holiday premiums come from company policy, union contracts, and a few state rules (Massachusetts and Rhode Island have premium-pay laws for some retail work). Hours worked on a holiday do count toward the 40-hour overtime threshold like any other hours.
What is the most common holiday pay rate?
Time and a half (1.5x) is the most common premium for hourly employees who work a recognized holiday, with double time the next most common, especially for major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Many employers instead offer no premium but give the holiday as a paid day off.
Do I get holiday pay if the holiday falls on my day off?
That depends entirely on policy. Many employers observe the holiday on the nearest weekday or grant a floating holiday, and some pay nothing extra. Salaried employees are normally paid the same either way, which is why the calculator values their holiday at 1/260 of annual salary.
