Holiday Pay in Los Angeles

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Although additional payment for employees who work on legal holidays is commonly practiced in many U.S. states, California has its own different state employment law. In the state, employers are allowed to create their own policy regarding days off for holidays and employees’ holiday benefits.

According to California’s Department of Industrial Relations, hours rendered for work on holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays are just like hours worked on any regular day of the work week.

The following are the main points of California employment law regarding holiday pay that Los Angeles employees should know:

•    California labor law does not legally require employers to provide their workers with paid holidays
•    The state does not request California employers to close their businesses on any holiday
•    The law does not require employers to give their employees day off for any legal holiday
•    California employment law does not require employers to provide their employees with special premium for work performed on holidays, Saturdays, or Sundays
•    Labor law in California does not bar employers from creating a policy that aims to provide additional pay to their employees who work on a holiday, a Saturday, or a Sunday

Employers who want to adopt a policy that intends to provide holiday pay for their workers should need to know the legal holidays set by Government Code 6700. Under the Government Code, the following are recognized as legal holidays in the country:

•    New Year’s Day – January 1
•    Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday – Third Monday in January
•    George Washington’s Birthday – Third Monday in February
•    Memorial Day – Last Monday in May
•    Independence Day – July
•    Labor Day – First Monday in September
•    Columbus Day – Second Monday in October
•    Veterans’ Day – November 11
•    Thanksgiving – Last Thursday in November
•    Christmas – December 25

It is advisable for employers to consult with Los Angeles labor attorneys to learn more on legalities governing holiday pays because state laws are always changing. Employees, on the other hand, may also seek legal assistance from employment lawyers to know their rights regarding holiday pays in Los Angeles.