Free holiday pay calculator 2026. Calculate holiday pay at 1.5x, 2x, or custom premium multipliers. Enter hourly rate, holiday hours, and regular hours to see total weekly earnings including holiday premium pay.
Enter your base hourly wage — the standard straight-time rate earned before holiday premiums.
Select your holiday multiplier from the preset list (1.25×, 1.5× time-and-a-half, 2.0× double-time, 2.5×, 3.0×) or choose "Custom Multiplier" to enter a specific contract rate.
Enter the hours worked on the calendar holiday itself.
Input regular non-holiday hours worked during the remainder of the same workweek.
Click "Calculate Holiday Pay" to see your regular pay, holiday straight base, extra holiday premium, and total gross earnings.
If total hours exceed 40, check the FLSA Overtime Threshold alert to understand how holiday premiums interact with statutory 1.5× overtime.
Holiday pay is premium compensation paid to employees required to work on recognized federal, state, or company holidays (such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Memorial Day, or Labor Day). While the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA 29 U.S.C. § 207) does not mandate premium pay for holiday work, employers commonly provide 1.5× (time-and-a-half) or 2.0× (double-time) through company policy or union collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
A retail cashier earns $16.50/hr base rate. Working an 8-hour shift on Thanksgiving at a 1.5× holiday rate: Holiday rate = $16.50 × 1.5 = $24.75/hr. Holiday pay = 8 × $24.75 = $198.00. For the rest of the week, they work 32 regular hours ($16.50 × 32 = $528.00). Total weekly gross pay is $726.00 for 40 hours, representing a $66.00 holiday premium bonus over standard straight time.
A critical care nurse earns $42.00/hr base. Hospital policy provides double-time (2.0×) for major winter holidays. Working a 12-hour shift on Christmas Day: Holiday rate = $42.00 × 2.0 = $84.00/hr. Holiday pay = 12 × $84.00 = $1,008.00. Adding two standard 12-hour shifts (24 regular hours = $1,008.00) brings weekly gross compensation to $2,016.00 for 36 hours worked—an extra $504.00 in holiday bonus pay.
A hospitality worker earning $18.00/hr works 10 hours on Independence Day at 1.5× ($27.00/hr = $270.00) plus 38 regular daytime hours ($18.00 × 38 = $684.00), totaling 48 workweek hours. Because total hours exceed 40 by 8 hours, FLSA overtime rules apply. Under FLSA Section 7(e)(6), holiday premium pay (the extra 0.5×) can be credited toward statutory overtime, yielding $954.00 straight compensation plus applicable overtime adjustments.
A senior patrol officer earns $34.00/hr base. Under the city union contract, officers scheduled on New Year's Eve earn 3.0× (triple-time). For an 8-hour overnight shift: Holiday rate = $34.00 × 3 = $102.00/hr. Total holiday earnings for the single shift are $816.00 versus $272.00 straight pay—generating a $544.00 holiday bonus premium.
A logistics technician earns $22.00/hr. The facility operates continuously and compensates Labor Day hours at 2.5× ($55.00/hr). For an 8-hour shift, holiday earnings equal $440.00. Combined with 32 regular hours ($704.00), total weekly earnings reach $1,144.00 for a standard 40-hour schedule.
Find answers to the most common questions about holiday pay calculator.
No. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require employers to provide paid holidays or pay extra for work performed on holidays, Saturdays, or Sundays. Holiday premium pay (such as 1.5× or 2.0×) is an optional contractual benefit established by company policy, employment contracts, or union collective bargaining agreements.
Under 5 U.S.C. § 6103, federal holidays are: New Year's Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Mon Jan), Washington's Birthday (3rd Mon Feb), Memorial Day (last Mon May), Juneteenth National Independence Day (Jun 19), Independence Day (Jul 4), Labor Day (1st Mon Sep), Columbus Day (2nd Mon Oct), Veterans Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving Day (4th Thu Nov), and Christmas Day (Dec 25). Federal employees receive paid time off or statutory premium rates.
Massachusetts is the primary exception under its "Blue Laws," historically requiring certain retail and commercial employers to pay premium rates (1.5×) on specific recognized holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Rhode Island also mandates 1.5× for Sundays and holidays in certain commercial and industrial occupations. In all other states, holiday pay follows employer policy.
Actual hours worked on a holiday count toward the statutory 40-hour weekly overtime threshold. However, unworked paid holiday hours (such as 8 hours of holiday pay when the office is closed) do not count as hours worked for FLSA overtime calculations. Under FLSA Section 7(e)(6), contractual premium pay of at least 1.5× for holiday work may be credited toward statutory overtime pay obligations.
"Paid Holiday Off" means an employee receives their regular salary or wages for the holiday without working (e.g. 8 hours of holiday pay). "Holiday Premium Pay" refers to an elevated wage rate (such as 1.5× or 2.0×) paid to employees who physically work their shift on the calendar holiday. Some generous employers offer both—paying regular straight pay for the holiday plus 1.5× for hours worked (effectively 2.5×).
Yes. All holiday pay and premium earnings are treated as regular taxable compensation. They are subject to federal income tax withholding, state income tax, and FICA payroll taxes (6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base + 1.45% Medicare, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare where applicable). They are reported in Box 1 on IRS Form W-2.
Calculations and computational models on QuickBizCalc are verified against published regulatory standards and statutory tax tables:
Publication 15-T (Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods) & Publication 15 (Employer's Tax Guide).
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA 29 U.S.C. § 207) regulations on overtime hours, recordkeeping, and minimum wage.
OASDI taxable maximum wage base limits and statutory FICA tax rates (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare).
Peer-reviewed by credentialed CPAs and SPHR consultants. For specific advice, consult a licensed tax attorney or accountant.
Standard straight-time hourly wage before holiday premiums.
Most employers offer 1.5× or 2.0×. Union contracts often provide 2.5× or 3.0×.
Actual hours worked during the recognized holiday calendar day.
Standard non-holiday hours worked in the remainder of the week.
