Federal Holidays

HR in NY

I need to know the rules for employees working on Federal Holidays. We stay open for business on holidays such as Martin Luther King Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Are we in any kind of violation since we only pay our employees their regular wages. Should we be paying double time for example? It is stated in our employee handbook specifically what holidays we are closed and what holidays we are open. Just want to make sure we are not in violation. Thanks for your help!

Margaret Morford

Holidays are a benefit that companies offer employees, so companies can decide which holidays to honor or to honor no holidays at all. Assumning there is nothing unusual in your state laws, you can pick and choose which holidys to observe. You only have to pay non-exempt employees for hours worked in excess of 40. You do not have to count holiday pay toward the calculation of the 40 hours. You may even condition receiving holiday pay on the employee working his/her last scheduled day before the holiday and his/her first scheduled day after the holiday. The reason some companies pay more to people who work the holidays are to incentivise people to work and to work with a positive attitude. You don't have to offer this.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]