What Are Your Options When Designated Paid Holidays Fall On a Weekend And Your Business Is Closed?

Question: What should we do when one of our designated paid holidays falls on a weekend when we aren’t open? Do we need to offer an alternative day off?

Answer from Janelle, SHRM-CP, SHRM-PMQ: No, you don’t need to offer an alternative day off. There are no federal laws requiring private employers to provide paid time off for holidays.

However, there are potential benefits to offering an alternative day off:

• It can boost employee morale. Employees won’t feel that they “lost” a day off—and three-day weekends are always appreciated!

• It may save you from having to process a host of time-off requests for weekdays around that holiday.

• It communicates your commitment to work-life balance, an important factor for engagement and retention.

This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.

Janelle has over 19 years of HR Practitioner experience within the healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing industries. She has worked in HR roles as an HR Manager, HR Generalist, and Sr. Recruiter managing hiring, onboarding, payroll, employee relations, and staffing. Janelle holds certifications from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Legal Disclaimer: On-Time Payroll is not engaged in the practice of law. The content in this post should not be construed as legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions concerning your situation or the information you have obtained, you should consult with a licensed attorney. On-Time Payroll cannot be held legally accountable for actions related to its receipt.