US Trends

do you get holiday pay for mlk day

You do not automatically get holiday pay for MLK Day just because it is a federal holiday. Whether you get paid (and how much) depends on where you work, your status, and your employer’s policies.

Is MLK Day a paid holiday?

  • MLK Day is a federal holiday, which means federal government offices and many banks close, and eligible federal employees get paid time off or holiday premium pay if they work.
  • Private employers are not legally required under federal law to give paid time off or extra pay for MLK Day, unless a contract or union agreement says so.

When do you usually get holiday pay?

You are more likely to get MLK Day holiday pay if:

  • You are a full‑time employee at a company that lists MLK Day as a paid holiday in its handbook or offer letter.
  • You are covered by a union or collective bargaining agreement that explicitly includes MLK Day as a paid holiday or premium‑pay day.

You are less likely to get holiday pay if:

  • You are an hourly/non‑exempt worker and your employer doesn’t list MLK Day among its paid holidays.
  • You are part‑time or temp and the company only gives holiday pay to full‑timers, or only if the holiday falls on your normally scheduled workday.

Do you get extra pay if you work MLK Day?

  • Federal employees who work on a federal holiday receive holiday premium pay, which is essentially double their basic rate for the hours worked (regular pay plus an equal amount as “holiday premium”).
  • In the private sector, some employers pay time‑and‑a‑half or double time for working MLK Day, but this is a company choice, not a general legal requirement.
  • Rhode Island is one of the few places with mandated premium pay on certain state‑recognized holidays, but even there the list of required premium‑pay holidays is limited and often does not include every federal holiday.

What you should do to know for sure

To find out if you get holiday pay for MLK Day:

  1. Check your employee handbook or HR portal for the list of paid holidays and any “holiday premium” rules.
  1. Look at your offer letter or union/collective bargaining agreement if you have one.
  2. Ask HR or your manager directly whether:
    • MLK Day is a paid holiday for your position, and
    • You get extra pay if you work that day.

Quick forum-style take

Some workers get the day off with pay , some get time and a half plus holiday pay if they work, and others get neither and just work a normal Monday.

So the real answer to “do you get holiday pay for MLK Day?” is: only if your employer’s policy or your contract says so.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.