Holiday Pay Calculator

Working the holiday? See what the shift pays at 1.5× or 2× — with or without stacked holiday pay — and what your paid holidays are worth annually.

Pay for the holiday shift
—
Premium hourly rate—
vs. a normal shift—
Annual value of your paid holidays—

Gross pay. Your company policy determines the real rules.

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How holiday pay works

premium pay = hourly rate × multiplier × holiday hours worked
stacked = premium pay + (hourly rate × 8 hours of holiday pay)

Because no federal law sets holiday premiums, the policy details decide everything. The two big variables: the multiplier (1.5× is most common, 2× at many union shops and hospitals), and whether the paid-holiday benefit stacks on top of the premium or is replaced by it.

A worked example

$20/hour, 8-hour Thanksgiving shift, time and a half: $240. If your employer stacks holiday pay, add the $160 you'd have received for the day off anyway — $400 total, or 2.5× a normal day. The same shift under a "substitute" policy pays $240. Same handbook phrase ("time and a half on holidays"), $160 apart — worth one email to HR to know which you have.

Salaried and exempt employees

Exempt salaried workers generally receive their normal salary regardless of holidays — no premium for working one, no deduction for the office closing. The calculator's annual-value line still applies though: paid holidays are part of total compensation when comparing offers, at about 0.4% of salary per holiday.

Frequently asked questions

Is holiday pay required by law?

No federal law requires premium pay for working a holiday, or paid holidays at all — for private employers it's entirely company policy (Rhode Island and Massachusetts have limited exceptions for certain retail work). Whatever your handbook promises is what applies.

How is time and a half calculated for a holiday?

Multiply your hourly rate by 1.5 for each holiday hour worked. At $20/hour for an 8-hour holiday shift, that's $30 × 8 = $240 instead of the usual $160.

What does 'stacked' holiday pay mean?

Some employers pay both your normal holiday pay (the day off you would have been paid for anyway) plus a premium rate for the hours you actually work — effectively 2.5× for a time-and-a-half policy. Check whether your policy stacks or substitutes; it's a 60%+ difference in the check.

How much are paid holidays worth per year?

Each paid holiday is worth a day's pay: annual salary ÷ 260, or hourly rate × 8. The typical US private employer offers 8 paid holidays — about $2,460 a year of value at a $20/hour job.

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