Do you get paid extra for working on a holiday?
No: in the US and the UK, the law does not require extra pay for working on a public holiday, or pay for the holiday itself. Time and a half or double time on holidays comes from your employer's policy or contract; US overtime still applies to hours over 40 in the week. Here is what each country requires, with the holiday dates for late 2026.
The short answer
In both the US and the UK, the law does not require extra pay for working on a public holiday, and it does not require the day off to be paid. Holiday pay and holiday premiums come from your employer's policy, your contract or a union agreement. Many employers do pay time and a half or double time on holidays, so check what yours promises in writing.
United States: what the law says
The US Department of Labor states that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays. It also does not require a higher rate for working on a holiday. A holiday is treated like any other day: you are owed time and a half only for hours over 40 in the workweek, if you are a non-exempt employee.
- Paid holidays are a benefit, not a legal right for most private-sector workers. Your handbook or offer letter says which days are paid.
- Holiday premiums are common but voluntary: many retailers, hospitals and factories pay time and a half or double time for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day.
- Paid hours you do not work, such as a paid holiday you take off, usually do not count toward the 40 hours for federal overtime.
- Government contractors and unionised workplaces can have their own holiday rules, and a few states have special rules for certain businesses, so check your state labor department if you are unsure.
Example: a Thanksgiving week
Jordan earns $20 an hour and works 48 hours in the week of Thanksgiving (Thursday 26 November 2026), including 8 hours on Thanksgiving Day. Under federal law alone, Jordan is owed 40 × $20 = $800 plus 8 × $30 = $240 overtime, so $1,040 for the week. If the employer's policy pays double time for holiday hours, the payslip should show that instead; the policy decides how the holiday premium and overtime fit together.
Work out your own week with the time and a half calculator, or enter each day with the overtime calculator.
United Kingdom: bank holidays
There is no legal right to a day off on a bank holiday, and no legal right to extra pay for working one. Your contract says whether you work bank holidays and how they are paid. What the law does guarantee is 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year (28 days for a five-day week), and employers may count the bank holidays as part of those 28 days.
- If bank holidays are included in your 28 days, a day you work on a bank holiday is usually taken off another day instead.
- Part-time workers should get a fair, pro-rata share of bank holiday leave; the safest method is to give everyone 5.6 weeks pro rata and let it cover the bank holidays.
- Any extra rate for working Christmas Day or Boxing Day (such as double time) is a contract term, not a legal one.
Check your entitlement with the UK holiday pay calculator.
Holiday dates to plan around
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Thanksgiving (US) | Thursday 26 November 2026 |
| Christmas Day (US and UK) | Friday 25 December 2026 |
| Boxing Day bank holiday (England and Wales, substitute day) | Monday 28 December 2026 |
| New Year's Day (US and UK) | Friday 1 January 2027 |
Scotland and Northern Ireland have some different bank holidays, so check the official list for your nation.
How to check you are paid correctly
- Find the holiday policy in your contract, handbook or union agreement: which days are paid, and at what rate if you work them.
- Count your hours for the whole week, not just the holiday.
- Compare your payslip with the policy: holiday hours, the rate used and any overtime.
- If something does not match, ask payroll in writing and keep a copy.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. State, national and contract rules vary.
Frequently asked questions
Do you get time and a half on holidays?
Only if your employer's policy or contract says so, or if the holiday hours take you over 40 hours in the week as a US non-exempt employee. The law itself does not require a holiday premium.
Is Thanksgiving or Christmas paid at time and a half?
Not by federal law. Many employers choose to pay time and a half or double time for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, so check your handbook.
Do I get paid for bank holidays in the UK?
Only if your contract says so. There is no legal right to a paid day off on a bank holiday, but your 5.6 weeks of paid holiday can include bank holidays.
Do paid holidays count toward overtime?
Under US federal law, paid hours you do not work, such as a paid holiday off, usually do not count toward the 40 hours. Some employers count them anyway by policy.
When is the Boxing Day bank holiday in 2026?
Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December 2026, so the bank holiday in England and Wales is the substitute day, Monday 28 December 2026.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules differ by country.