Arizona Legal Holidays Laws
Key Takeaways
Arizona legal holidays are designated calendar days when state government offices close and state employees receive paid time off or compensatory leave. Private employers in Arizona are not required to provide paid holiday time off or overtime pay unless as part of an employment contract.
Everyone wants holiday time off. Whether it’s a national holiday, a religious holiday, or a local event, having the day off work to relax and spend time with the family is a gift. Although the federal government may designate certain days as legal holidays, state law may determine whether additional days are state holidays.
Arizona law does not require private employers to provide holiday pay unless they choose to do so. Federal employees must receive holiday pay on federally designated holidays. Arizona pays state workers holiday pay for designated state and federal holidays.
Arizona Legal Holidays Laws
Arizona’s labor laws do not require private employers to provide workers with holiday time or days off. Most employers will either pay holiday pay as overtime or give time off on legal holidays.
The state of Arizona recognizes the following state and federal holidays (federal holidays are in bold):
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- Third Monday in January: Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day
- Third Monday in February: “Lincoln/Washington Presidents’ Day
- Second Sunday in May: Mother’s Day
- Last Monday in May: Memorial Day
- June 2: Native American Day
- Third Sunday in June: Father’s Day
- July 4: Independence Day
- First Sunday in August: American Family Day
- August 14: National Navajo Code Talkers Day
- First Monday in September: Labor Day
- September 17: Constitution Commemoration Day
- Second Monday in October: Columbus Day
- November 11: Veterans’ Day
- Fourth Thursday in November: Thanksgiving Day
- December 25: Christmas Day
State employees receive either holiday pay or one additional day of vacation leave if they work during a legal holiday.
Legal Holidays, Paid Time Off, and Vacation Time
Arizona’s wage and hour laws determine minimum wage and overtime. Under the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act, private employers in Arizona must provide earned sick time to their employees. Arizona workers are protected by federal leave laws such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Federal law guarantees workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid sick leave to care for an ill or injured family member or to recover from a serious illness.
Vacation time is usually part of an employment contract. No state or federal law requires any vacation time for exempt or non-exempt employees. Employers determine eligibility for vacation time based on their internal policies and requirements, such as seniority or total work hours.
Get Legal Advice From an Arizona Employment Law Attorney
Public employees should receive holiday pay for working over legal holidays or be paid at their regular rate if they do not work. If your employment contract states you should receive overtime pay for working holidays, your paycheck should reflect that. If you have any concerns about your holiday pay, get legal advice from an Arizona employment law attorney.
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