2021 Federal Holidays

Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) establishes the following public holidays for Federal employees.  Please note that most Federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule.  For these employees, when a holiday falls on a nonworkday -- Saturday or Sunday -- the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).

*This holiday is designated as "Inauguration Day" in section 6103(c) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Federal employees in the Washington, DC area are entitled to a holiday on the day a President is inaugurated, January 20 for each fourth year after 1965. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

**This holiday is designated as "Washington’s Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

***July 4, 2021 (the legal public holiday for Independence Day), falls on a Sunday. For most Federal employees, Monday, July 5, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5 U.S.C. 6103(b).)

****December 25, 2021 (the legal public holiday for Christmas Day), falls on a Saturday. For most Federal employees, Friday, December 24, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See section 3(a) of Executive order 11582, February 11, 1971.)