United States
Federal law does not require employers to pay extra for working on a holiday, or to give paid holidays off. Holiday pay is a matter of company policy, an employment contract or a union agreement. Common policies are:
- Holiday premium: hours worked on a holiday paid at 1.5× or 2×.
- Paid holiday: a normal day’s pay for the holiday, even if you do not work.
Source: US DOL: Holiday Pay
Example: 8 hours on a holiday at 1.5×
The same 8 hours on a normal day would be $224.00.
How the calculator handles holidays
Tick Holiday on any day you worked a holiday. Those hours are paid at your holiday rate (1.5× by default; you can choose 1×, 2× or 2.5×). They are kept out of the overtime count, so the same hour is never paid two premiums. If your employer counts holiday hours toward weekly overtime as well, check the result with them.
Ontario public holidays
Ontario has nine public holidays under the Employment Standards Act: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Most employees who qualify get public holiday pay: all regular wages earned in the four work weeks before the holiday, plus vacation pay, divided by 20. If you agree, in writing or electronically, to work on the holiday, you get one of these:
- your regular wages for the hours worked plus a substitute day off with public holiday pay, or
- public holiday pay plus premium pay of 1.5× your regular rate for the hours worked, with no substitute day.
Source: Ontario: ESA guide, public holidays
Questions
Is holiday pay required in the US?
No. Federal law does not require extra pay for working on a holiday or paid time off for holidays. It depends on your employer’s policy or contract.
How many public holidays does Ontario have?
Nine: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.