Which federal holidays are observed as paid public holidays for federal employees?
Executive summary
The federal government recognizes 11 legal public holidays for federal employees under 5 U.S.C. § 6103; these are observed as paid holidays for most non‑essential, Monday‑through‑Friday federal workers (11 holidays in 2025) [1]. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and agency notices list the statutory days (New Year’s Day through Christmas Day) and explain how observance shifts when a holiday falls on a nonworkday [2] [3].
1. What “federal holidays” means for federal employees
Federal holidays are statutory public holidays established by law (5 U.S.C. § 6103) that the federal government designates for pay and leave purposes; for most federal employees these are treated as paid days off when they fall on scheduled workdays, though employees required to work on holidays receive premium pay or alternative compensatory time as governed by OPM and agency rules [2] [4].
2. The list: eleven statutory federal holidays observed in 2025
Federal authorities and multiple news and agency guides report 11 federal holidays observed in 2025 — from New Year’s Day to Christmas Day — and list them as the legal public holidays federal law establishes [1] [3] [5]. Public outlets and OPM materials consistently present the federal calendar as containing 11 recognized holidays for the year [1] [5].
3. How observance dates shift when holidays fall on weekends
OPM guidance and agency notices explain that when a federal holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday most Monday‑through‑Friday employees observe the holiday on the preceding Friday or following Monday, respectively; agencies publish “in‑lieu‑of” dates and schedules by tour of duty [2] [3]. The Federal Reserve and other institutions also publish adjusted holiday schedules for operational services when weekend conflicts occur [6].
4. Local exceptions: Inauguration Day and DC‑area rules
There are location‑specific exceptions: employees in the Washington, D.C. area (and certain nearby jurisdictions) receive a holiday on Presidential Inauguration Day (January 20 in inauguration years) for those scheduled to work that day; this is a narrowly applied administrative leave entitlement rather than a universal federal holiday [7] [2].
5. Practical impact: who gets paid and who doesn’t
The designation affects federal pay and the closure of non‑essential government offices; federal workers on a standard work schedule typically get the day off with pay on these statutory holidays, while those in essential operations work and receive overtime or compensatory benefits per federal pay rules [2] [4]. Private employers are not legally required to follow federal holiday schedules, though many mirror them as a benefit [8].
6. Where reporting aligns — and where questions remain
Multiple sources — OPM, agency notices (USDA FSIS), and national outlets like USA TODAY — align on the existence of 11 federal holidays and the basic mechanics of observation and in‑lieu adjustments [2] [3] [1]. Available sources do not mention a definitive, single list in this packet naming each holiday by line here; for the precise statutory names and every observance date for a given year, OPM’s federal‑holidays page is the authoritative primary reference [2] [4].
7. Caveats and common misunderstandings
It is commonly misunderstood that “federal holiday” means all workers nationwide get the day off; in fact, federal holiday status primarily governs federal employee pay and agency operations — private employers decide their own holiday policies unless bound by federal contracting terms. Sources caution readers that banks, schools, and private businesses often follow federal holidays, but they are not legally bound to do so [8] [1].
8. How to confirm for your workplace
The definitive confirmation for a particular federal employee’s paid holiday entitlement is OPM’s guidance and the employee’s agency notice (which lists in‑lieu observance dates and tour‑of‑duty rules); agencies publish year‑specific notices (for example, FSIS published the 2025 federal holidays and observance rules) [2] [3].
Limitations: this summary relies solely on the provided sources; I cite OPM, agency notices, and contemporary news summaries for key facts. If you want the exact statutory names and dates in a single copied list (e.g., New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Washington’s Birthday; Memorial Day; Juneteenth; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving Day; Christmas Day) consult OPM’s holiday page and the agency holiday notice for the year in question [2] [3].