Utah Legal Holidays Laws
By Amber Sheppard, Esq. | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff | Last reviewed October 02, 2024
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw’s team of legal writers and attorneys and in accordance with our editorial standards.
The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area.
Like other states, Utah has specific days of the year that are holidays. State offices and public schools close on these days. Utah also designates every Sunday as a state holiday. To avoid the trouble of showing up at a government office on a day you didn't know or forgot was a holiday, you should review the list below.
List of Utah Legal Holidays
The governor can declare more legal holidays. They can also limit these holidays to certain types of activities or businesses. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is the workday taken off. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is the day off. The governor can extend holidays, but no longer than 60 days.
Utah Code Section 63G-1-301 lists legal holidays as the following state holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the third Monday of January
- Washington and Lincoln Day, the third Monday of February
- Memorial Day, the last Monday of May
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Pioneer Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day, the second Monday of October
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
When a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the state celebrates it the following Monday. If it falls on a Saturday, the state celebrates it the Friday before. This way, Utah residents will always get a three-day holiday weekend.
Pioneer Day
The state of Utah has a unique Pioneer Day holiday. On July 24, Utah celebrates the day Brigham Young and other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) arrived and founded Salt Lake City.
Personal Preference Day
Utah employees can also look forward to a Personal Preference Day. A full-time employee can take off one day a year, as designated by their employer's policy. The employee could select this for:
- Birthday
- Religious holidays not listed under Utah state legal holidays, like Yom Kippur or Eid al-Adha
- Day after a holiday like "Black Friday" (Friday after Thanksgiving)
- Another day of their choosing
Preference Day is not a paid holiday by law but could be a paid holiday by company policy.
Holiday Pay
Some jobs must continue even if it's a major holiday, like Thanksgiving or Labor Day. In Utah, your employer doesn't have to pay you extra for working a holiday. They have to pay you over your regular rate if your employment agreement states they do.
Sick Leave
Sick leave is also unpaid in Utah. Eligible full-time employees get federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protection. This allows them up to 12 weeks a year of unpaid sick leave to care for themselves or a loved one.
Vacation Leave
No state law in Utah provides for paid vacation time. Your employee agreement lists how your Utah employer handles vacation time and whether you get paid. Eligible employees should note whether their unused vacation time rolls over to the following year.
Talk to a Utah Employment Lawyer
Suppose you've got questions about these holidays or the failure of your employer to provide you a Personal Preference Day or holiday pay. Maybe you haven't gotten paid at least minimum wage or a fair wage. You should speak to an experienced Utah employment lawyer in that case.
Note: State laws change often. Please contact an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify these laws.
Next Steps: Search for a Local Attorney
Contact a qualified attorney.
Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life
Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy.