Federal holidays vs. company holidays
Federal holidays only legally guarantee a day off for federal government employees. Private employers are not required by law to give any of these days off or pay for them, though most large employers do observe most or all of them as a matter of policy and competitiveness.
How "observed" dates work
When a fixed-date holiday like July 4th or December 25th falls on a Saturday, federal offices typically observe it on the preceding Friday; if it falls on a Sunday, it is typically observed on the following Monday. This is why a calendar sometimes marks "observed" on a different date than the actual holiday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do banks and the stock market close on all of these?
US banks generally follow the Federal Reserve's holiday schedule, and stock exchanges like the NYSE follow their own list, which closely but not perfectly overlaps with the federal holiday list β always check the specific institution's calendar for the year in question.
Are federal holidays the same in every US state?
The 11 holidays listed here are federal, meaning they apply to federal employees nationwide. Individual states can add their own additional state-specific holidays on top of these.