Alaska Holidays 2026
Alaska has 11 federal holidays and 2 state holidays in 2026. Private employers don't have to give any of them.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
11 federal holidays, 2 state holidays and 3 commonly given in 2026.
11 federal holidays and 2 state holidays in 2026.
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All 2026 holidays in Alaska
18 days listed| Month | Date | Holiday | Type | Paid by law? | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1Thu | New Year's Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| 19Mon | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| February | 16Mon | Washington's Birthday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| March | 30Mon | Seward's Day | State | Not required for private employers | |
| April | 5Sun | Easter Sunday | Observance | Not a day off | |
| May | 25Mon | Memorial Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| June | 19Fri | Juneteenth | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| July | 4Sat | Independence DayFalls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jul 3 | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| September | 7Mon | Labor Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| October | 12Mon | Columbus DayNot an Alaska state holiday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| 12Mon | Indigenous Peoples' DayNot a paid State of Alaska holiday | Observance | Not a day off | ||
| 18Sun | Alaska DayFalls on a Sunday. Observed Mon Oct 19 | State | Not required for private employers | ||
| November | 11Wed | Veterans Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| 26Thu | Thanksgiving Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 27Fri | Day after Thanksgiving | Commonly given | Not required | ||
| December | 24Thu | Christmas Eve | Commonly given | Not required | |
| 25Fri | Christmas Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 31Thu | New Year's Eve | Commonly given | Not required |
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What employers need to know
Working on a holiday
Alaska law doesn't require extra pay for holiday work. Whether a holiday bonus is owed depends on what the employer has promised.
Daily and weekly overtime
In Alaska, overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate is owed for hours worked over 40 in a week or over 8 in a day, unless an exemption applies.
Paid sick leave
Alaska employers must provide paid sick leave. Employers with 15 or more employees must let workers accrue and use up to 56 hours a year; smaller employers, up to 40 hours.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday.
Unused vacation when someone leaves
Alaska law does not require employers to pay out accrued vacation or PTO when employment ends. Payout depends on the employer's written policy or agreement, and must be made if the contract or policy provides for it.
From our Alaska leave laws guideMaximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Alaska. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Alaska state offices close for: Seward's Day and Alaska Day. Take all 14 suggested PTO days and you get 53 days off across 13 breaks, including 12 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar.
- Federal
- State
- Commonly given
- Suggested PTO day
- Weekend
- Today
January 2026
February 2026
March 2026
April 2026
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
October 2026
November 2026
December 2026
When US teams take time off
The national pattern from Vacation Tracker data. We don't have enough Alaska data for a state view yet.
How Alaska holidays differ
State holidays
Alaska has 2 holidays of its own in 2026 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 20 have more and 16 have fewer.
Only in Alaska
Only Alaska has Seward's Day and Alaska Day as holidays in 2026.
Federal holidays
Not a paid day off for Alaska state employees: Columbus Day.
Sources
- State of Alaska 2027 State Calendar (Dept. of Administration, Division of Finance, revised 09/29/2025)
- State of Alaska 2026 State Calendar (Dept. of Administration)
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays
- Wage and Hour FAQ | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- Minimum Wage Standard and Overtime Hours | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- Sick Leave FAQ | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- FLSA Hours Worked Advisor: Holidays, Vacations and Sick Time | U.S. Department of Labor
Holiday calendar data includes date-holidays (CC BY-SA 3.0), checked against the official sources above.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026. Holiday dates come from public sources. Check your employment contract and the official sources above before you rely on them.
Frequently asked questions
Not by law. Alaska's labor department says holiday pay depends on whether the employer has promised it, so your policy or contract decides.
In 2026, Alaska has the 11 federal holidays and 2 state holidays: Seward's Day (March 30) and Alaska Day (October 18). Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but not an Alaska state holiday.
Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and an Alaska state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19.
No. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but it isn't an Alaska state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12.
No. It isn't an Alaska state holiday, so private employers don't have to give it. In 2026 it falls on Friday, November 27.
No. Alaska law doesn't require a holiday premium. If you promise time and a half for holiday work, you must pay it; if you offer no holiday bonus, holiday hours are paid at straight time.
Not under federal law. Under the FLSA, paid time off for a holiday isn't hours worked and doesn't have to be counted toward overtime.
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. In 2026, Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3; Alaska Day falls on a Sunday and is observed on Monday, October 19.