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 hourly paid time off, value the policy’s paid hours at the regular rate. Salary mode allocates annual salary over a chosen paid-workday denominator:
V = R * Hpaid or V = S / Ndays
Variables:
- HP is pay for working the holiday and V is the value of a paid holiday off
- R is the USD hourly rate, H is worked hours, and Hpaid is paid hours provided by the policy
- m is the total worked-hour pay multiplier: 1.5 means base rate plus a50% premium. Select the applicable policy; no universal multiplier is assumed by law
- S is annual salary and Ndays is the chosen paid-workday allocation denominator. The default260 =52 ×5 is a model assumption, not a calendar-year or entitlement determination
Choose worked-holiday pay, hourly paid time off or a salary allocation. Worked-pay mode adds separately entered straight-time paid holiday hours; blank additional hours mean zero. Hourly time-off hours are required and are not silently set to eight. The calculator uses exact decimal arithmetic, rounds each component half up to cents and then adds them. It does not determine overtime, premium credits or taxes.
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 the same worked hours at straight time. This comparison is not the incremental incentive versus taking a paid holiday off.
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?
The U.S. Department of Labor explains that the FLSA generally does not require paid holidays or holiday premiums. Covered government contracts, other laws and employment agreements can impose requirements. Massachusetts eliminated certain retail Sunday/holiday premium requirements effective January1,2023. Overtime and crediting holiday premiums require a separate assessment; this calculator does not determine legal entitlement.
What is the most common holiday pay rate?
Policies differ. This tool offers 1×, 1.5×, 2×, 2.5× and a custom total multiplier. The selected1.5× is a scenario assumption; verify your applicable policy.
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. Salary mode only allocates annual salary over a chosen number of paid workdays; it does not calculate additional holiday pay or determine salary treatment. Default260 is editable.
