What happens when a federal holiday falls on a weekend
Last checked 2026-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
When a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, federal employees get the Friday before off. When it falls on a Sunday, they get the Monday after. The rule comes from 5 U.S.C. 6103(b) and Executive Order 11582, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) publishes the resulting dates each year.
Only the five fixed-date holidays can land on a weekend: New Year’s Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Veterans Day and Christmas. The other six are always a Monday or, for Thanksgiving, a Thursday.
2027 is a heavy year for shifts
| Holiday | Falls on | Day off |
|---|---|---|
| Juneteenth | Sat, Jun 19 | Fri, Jun 18 |
| Independence Day | Sun, Jul 4 | Mon, Jul 5 |
| Christmas Day | Sat, Dec 25 | Fri, Dec 24 |
| New Year’s Day 2028 | Sat, Jan 1, 2028 | Fri, Dec 31, 2027 |
Because New Year’s Day 2028 is observed in December, federal workers get 12 holidays in calendar year 2027 and only 10 in 2028. The total over time does not change.
Not everyone moves Saturday holidays
- Banks. The Federal Reserve does not close on the Friday before a Saturday holiday, so most banks are open that Friday. Sunday holidays still move to Monday. See bank holidays.
- Stock market. NYSE and Nasdaq follow the Friday and Monday rule, with one exception: they do not close on December 31 when New Year’s Day is a Saturday. See stock market holidays.
- Private employers. Most follow the federal rule, but nothing requires it. Some give a floating day instead, and some give nothing when a holiday falls on a weekend. Your handbook decides.
- State governments. Most states shift like the federal government, though a few handle Saturday holidays differently for state workers.
Federal workers on other schedules
Employees whose regular day off is not Saturday or Sunday get an “in lieu of” holiday instead. If a holiday falls on a day they would not work anyway, OPM rules give them another workday off, usually the workday before. Compressed and flexible schedules have their own tables in OPM’s guidance.