California law does not require double pay or paid holidays; eligibility depends on your employer’s policies, contracts, or union agreements. Check your handbook or contract to see if holiday premium rates, time and a half, or double time apply.
By Brad Nakase, Attorney
Email | Call (888) 600-8654
Have a quick question? I answered nearly 1500 FAQs.
If you are an employee in California, you might be wondering if you’ll get paid for holidays. First of all, except when the holiday is religious, you are unlikely to receive accommodations because California has no special employment regulations related to holidays.
This implies that employers are exempt from paying you for holiday leave. Nonetheless, a lot of companies will provide it by implementing their own holiday schedule. Regardless of whether their employees are regular part-time or full-time, seasonal, or holiday workers, all employers are legally obligated to pay the minimum wage.
If you’re an employee or business owner in California, you’ve likely wondered: “Is holiday pay double time in California?” The short answer is no. State law does not require employers to pay extra wages for holidays.
Companies often provide their workers with holiday compensation as a perk. This is done to ensure that they won’t be penalized for missing work on certain days. Sometimes, if an employee offers to work, the company will give them time and a half or double pay. This is not a requirement for employers.
You might wonder who in California will get holiday pay. The response is straightforward: everybody who works. Employees who labor on holidays are mandated by California legislation to be paid a minimum of their standard rate, as per the company policy. Although it is not enforced, companies are always free to compensate more than the worker’s typical wage. “Is holiday pay double time in California?” Not automatically.
You can consult your employee handbook or get advice from a California labor lawyer if you have any concerns about your compensation.
Although there are no regulations in California requiring employees to take time off for holidays, companies may choose to do so and even grant requests. They don’t have to provide holiday pay; thus, if they choose to do this, they are going outside the law.
Nevertheless, there is a reason why many California companies decide to provide the advantage of holiday pay, even though employers are not legally obligated to provide paid time off. It guarantees that workers are content, productive, and generally cheerful during the workday—especially if they receive compensation for requests for holidays. Employee satisfaction is essential if you want to prevent them from leaving to work for a rival company. It’s as easy as providing paid time off.
Giving employees a day off to celebrate federal holidays is not mandated by federal law. Thus, paid holidays aren’t required. Federal legislation does, however, mandate that companies provide time off or make accommodations for religious holidays. As mentioned, the only leave mandated by employment legislation is this one. Since California does not require holiday compensation, all employers are required to comply.
Employers are also encouraged by legislation to provide perks like paid holidays as a way to retain staff. The absence of holiday compensation may be one of the causes of the company’s high turnover rate. Because of this, it would be in the best interests of the company to include holiday compensation in the employment contract.
Workers should be aware of all the legislation related to holiday pay in California. Although some workers believe they should have leave for national holidays, including Christmas and Thanksgiving, numerous companies do not close on these days, and employers are not obligated to provide extra compensation.
“Is holiday pay double time in California for everyone?” No. Only if the employer explicitly states it in their contract/handbook.
The only state-mandated rule that grants overtime pay to staff members is the requirement that workers who put in more than forty hours a week receive time and a half. You would not be eligible for holiday compensation if holidays fell during your forty-hour workweek. California does not, therefore, require holiday pay.
You may be entitled to paid holidays, but remember that California law does not require overtime pay or paid holidays. Some of the situations or exclusions that may cause your employer to change the way they handle paid time off or overtime include the following:
Remember that unless the company is required by contract or the overtime satisfies the conditions for overtime compensation, you cannot sue them for refusing to pay you for holidays. You can learn more about your legal rights to overtime or holiday compensation from an expert wage and hour lawyer. “Is holiday pay double time in California on federal holidays?” No, unless your employer voluntarily provides it.
There are many Federal holidays in California. When businesses shut down for a holiday, such as Christmas Day, California, like a number of other states, is exempt from the requirement to pay holiday pay. Unless company policies allow for time and a half, most employers usually pay their regular pay rate on holidays.
According to California law, employees are not entitled to overtime compensation, such as the holiday pay rate, until they have previously put in forty hours during that week. The employee often receives the same amount as they would receive on a weekday if the holiday occurs on a Sunday or a Saturday. Since legislation in California does not mandate that companies close on holidays, employers are free to choose whether or not to do so.
Excess compensation for weekends or holidays is granted at the employer’s discretion in accordance with business policy, the employer’s approved practices, and the conditions agreed upon by the company and employee with regard to paid holidays. This is not required by law.
If your company’s policy states you’ll receive double pay for certain holidays, it becomes contractually binding. So, “Is holiday pay double time in California if it’s in your contract?” Yes.
Besides the investigation and enforcement of Labor Code laws, the Division of Labor Standards and Enforcement (DLSE) also examines discrimination by California businesses regarding paid holidays, overtime pay, and employer and employment-related practices regarding holidays. The Division of Labor Statistics and Research (DLSR) collects, consolidates, and publishes trustworthy information and studies concerning labor laws in California. Each organization is focused on providing Californians with the best possible labor services.
You can check with your company if you work in California and are unsure if you will be paid more for the holidays (overtime/holiday pay). You might also wish to find out the company’s holiday policy. There are no fixed rules because every employer is unique. You should get in touch with a credible lawyer right now to start the process if you have any further questions or would like the assistance of a knowledgeable, experienced legal professional.
Have a quick question? We answered nearly 2000 FAQs.
See all blogs: Business | Corporate | Employment Law
Most recent blogs:
Contact our attorney.