House · HR 8980 · 119th Congress
Holiday Pay Act
Summary
This bill requires employers to pay workers at least 1.5 times their normal wage for working on federal public holidays. It adds holiday pay rules to the Fair Labor Standards Act and lets workers sue to recover unpaid holiday wages. It covers most workers in businesses involved in commerce.
In Favor
Millions of workers must work on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas with no extra pay required by law. This bill gives those workers a guaranteed bonus for giving up time with their families. It closes a long-standing gap in federal labor law that left holiday workers without protection.
Against
Requiring 1.5 times regular pay on holidays raises labor costs for businesses that must stay open every day, like hospitals, grocery stores, and restaurants. Employers may cut holiday hours or hire fewer workers to manage the added expense. Small businesses with thin profit margins could feel this cost the most.
Additional Considerations
Purpose & Problem
Is the problem real and worth federal action?
The bill requires employers to pay workers at least 1.5 times their normal pay rate for working on federal public holidays. It targets the current gap in federal law, which does not require extra pay for holiday work.
Scope & Related Provisions
Does it stay focused, or carry unrelated add-ons?
The provisions stay on topic. The bill adds holiday pay rules, connects enforcement to existing wage law, and keeps higher state or local holiday pay rules in place.
Who Is Affected
Who benefits, and who bears the cost?
Employees covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act who work on federal public holidays would receive higher pay. Employers in businesses touching commerce would take on new pay duties for holiday shifts.
Cost & Funding
Is it affordable and responsibly funded?
The bill does not authorize or appropriate federal funds. It shifts costs onto private employers, who must pay covered workers at least 1.5 times their regular rate for each federal public holiday worked. No cost estimate from CBO or a committee appears in the sources.
Risks & Implementation
What could go wrong in practice?
Employers must track which days are federal public holidays and apply the correct pay rate to all covered workers. The bill also requires that holiday pay not count toward overtime calculations, adding a record-keeping step for payroll systems.
For the actual bill text, see congress.gov.
AI-generated · Published 7/22/2026