Instantly calculate your holiday premium pay, plus regular pay, overtime, and any other shift differentials you earn. Supports weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly pay periods, with USD, EUR, and GBP.
Also working nights or weekends? Try our shift differential calculator to combine multiple premium types in one pay breakdown.
Enter hourly pay, standard hours, and your holiday premium for a complete pay breakdown.
Tip: label it "Holiday" and enter your holiday hours and premium (e.g. 50% or a flat $5.00/hr).
Fill in your work details and click Calculate to see a full pay breakdown including overtime and your holiday premium.
Three simple steps to a complete, accurate holiday pay breakdown.
Input your standard hourly rate, regular weekly hours, and any overtime or double-time hours worked. Double-time hours are optional — only fill them in if your employer pays 2× for holiday work.
Click "Add Holiday Premium," choose percentage-based or fixed-amount, then enter the rate and the number of holiday hours worked.
Hit Calculate to see your regular pay, holiday premium pay, overtime, and grand total — with a plain-English explanation of every step.
James earns $20/hr and worked 40 hours in the week, 8 of them on Thanksgiving, which pays a 50% holiday premium. The premium adds $20 × 50% = $10/hr for those 8 hours ($80 in total) on top of his regular pay for all 40 hours. How holiday premiums affect overtime →
Understanding the math helps you verify every paycheck and stay compliant with FLSA overtime rules.
A percentage is added on top of the base rate for hours worked on the holiday. 50% (time-and-a-half) and 100% (double time) are the most common.
A flat dollar amount added per hour regardless of base rate — simple and predictable, common in union contracts.
Everything you need to know about holiday premiums, which holidays typically qualify, and how it works with overtime.
Holiday pay can mean two different things: extra pay for hours actually worked on a recognized holiday (a holiday premium), or regular pay an employee receives for a holiday they had off (holiday PTO). This calculator focuses on the first — premium pay for hours worked.
There is no federal requirement to offer either — it's set entirely by employer policy or a union agreement.
Under the FLSA, overtime pay must be at least 1.5× an employee's regular rate of pay — not just their base wage. If a worker earns a holiday premium during overtime hours, that premium must be factored into the overtime rate under 29 CFR § 778.207. This calculator applies that rule automatically.
| Industry | Typical Holiday Premium | Common Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 1.5× – 2× | Common for Black Friday and major shopping holidays |
| Healthcare | 1.5× – 2× | Often stacks with existing night or weekend differentials |
| Manufacturing | 2× | Common for 24/7 operations that don't fully shut down for holidays |
| Hospitality & Food Service | 1.5× | Common on major holidays with high customer demand |
| Office / Corporate | Paid day off | Most common — the holiday is simply a paid day off, not a worked premium |
Rates vary by employer, region, and union agreement. Always confirm your exact holiday pay policy with HR or your state labor department before making payroll decisions.
Answers to the most common questions about holiday pay.