This bill would require employers to pay workers at least 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for any work done on a federal holiday. For example, a worker who usually earns $15 an hour would earn $22.50 an hour on those days.
The law would cover all 11 official federal holidays, including New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Currently, federal law does not require private companies to pay extra for working on holidays.
This change aims to reward employees who have to work while others are off. It would provide a significant pay boost for millions of people in industries that stay open year-round, such as retail, hospitality, and emergency services.
The Department of Labor would be responsible for making sure companies follow the new rule. If a company fails to pay the extra amount, workers could sue for their missing wages just like they can for unpaid overtime.
States and cities would still be allowed to pass their own laws requiring even higher pay or extra pay for other holidays that are not on the federal list.
Labor EmploymentEconomy Finance
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Feb 12, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Feb 12, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Holiday Pay Act
Bill NumberS 3867
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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