SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Connecticut State Holidays 2026: Dates & Holiday Pay Rules URL: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/connecticut/2026/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2026-10-31 UPDATED: 2026-11-01 SUMMARY: All 11 federal and 2 Connecticut state holidays for 2026, with observed dates, holiday pay rules and free calendar downloads. # Connecticut Holidays 2026 Connecticut 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. ## All 2026 holidays in Connecticut | Holiday | Date | Day of week | Notes | Type | Paid by law? | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | New Year's Day | 2026-01-01 | Thursday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | 2026-01-19 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Lincoln's Birthday | 2026-02-12 | Thursday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Washington's Birthday | 2026-02-16 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Good Friday | 2026-04-03 | Friday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Easter Sunday | 2026-04-05 | Sunday | | Observance | Not a day off | | Memorial Day | 2026-05-25 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Juneteenth | 2026-06-19 | Friday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Independence Day | 2026-07-04 | Saturday | Falls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jul 3 | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Labor Day | 2026-09-07 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Columbus Day | 2026-10-12 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Veterans Day | 2026-11-11 | Wednesday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Thanksgiving Day | 2026-11-26 | Thursday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Day after Thanksgiving | 2026-11-27 | Friday | | Commonly given | Not required | | Christmas Eve | 2026-12-24 | Thursday | | Commonly given | Not required | | Christmas Day | 2026-12-25 | Friday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | New Year's Eve | 2026-12-31 | Thursday | | Commonly given | Not required | ## What employers need to know **Working on a holiday.** Connecticut doesn't require overtime or premium pay just because someone works on a holiday, unless you've agreed to pay it. Overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate is due after 40 hours in the workweek. **Holidays and overtime.** Connecticut overtime is owed for actual hours worked over 40 in the workweek, at 1.5 times the regular rate. **Paid sick leave for all employers in 2027.** From January 1, 2027, Connecticut's paid sick leave law covers employers with one or more employees in the state. Employees earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year. **Holidays that fall on a weekend.** Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. **Unused vacation when someone leaves.** In Connecticut, an employer must pay accrued vacation on separation only if its policy or contract requires it. Employers may also set a policy or contract that refuses this payment. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/connecticut/#payment-of-accrued-unused-vacation-on-termination) Full rules: Connecticut leave laws: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/connecticut/ ## Maximize your PTO in 2026 These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Connecticut. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Connecticut state offices close for: Lincoln's Birthday and Good Friday. Take all 13 suggested PTO days and you get **50 days off across 12 breaks**, including 10 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar. - Take Friday, February 13 off to get a 5-day break from February 12 to 16 (Lincoln's Birthday and Washington's Birthday). - Take Friday, January 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 1 to 4 (New Year's Day). - Take Friday, January 16 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 16 to 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day). - Take Thursday, April 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from April 2 to 5 (Good Friday). - Take Friday, May 22 off to get a 4-day weekend from May 22 to 25 (Memorial Day). - Take Thursday, June 18 off to get a 4-day weekend from June 18 to 21 (Juneteenth). - Take Thursday, July 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from July 2 to 5 (Independence Day). - Take Friday, September 4 off to get a 4-day weekend from September 4 to 7 (Labor Day). - Take Friday, October 9 off to get a 4-day weekend from October 9 to 12 (Columbus Day). - Take Friday, November 27 off to get a 4-day weekend from November 26 to 29 (Thanksgiving Day). - Take Thursday, December 24 off to get a 4-day weekend from December 24 to 27 (Christmas Day). - Take Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10 off to get a 5-day break from November 7 to 11 (Veterans Day). ## When Connecticut teams take time off The 5 weeks when the most Connecticut employees using Vacation Tracker were off, compared with an average week. - Jul 20 – 26 (Week 30): 3.2× a normal week - Aug 10 – 16 (Week 33): 3.1× a normal week - Dec 21 – 27 (Week 52): 3.0× a normal week - Jul 27 – Aug 2 (Week 31): 2.2× a normal week - Jun 29 – Jul 5 (Week 27): 2.2× a normal week ## How Connecticut holidays differ **State holidays.** Connecticut 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. **Shared with a few states.** Lincoln's Birthday is also a state holiday in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and New York. **Federal holidays.** Connecticut state offices observe all 11 federal holidays. Neighboring states in 2026: - [Massachusetts](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/massachusetts/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [New York](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/new-york/2026/): 2 holidays of its own - [Rhode Island](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/rhode-island/2026/): 2 holidays of its own Compare all 50 states and DC: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/2026/#compare ## Frequently asked questions Q: Do private employers in Connecticut have to give paid holidays? Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require pay for holidays not worked; it treats holiday pay as a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Q: What are the Connecticut state holidays in 2026? In 2026, Connecticut has the 11 federal holidays and 2 state holidays: Lincoln's Birthday (February 12) and Good Friday (April 3). Q: Is Juneteenth a Connecticut state holiday? Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Connecticut state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19. Q: Is Columbus Day a Connecticut state holiday? Yes. Columbus Day is a federal holiday and a Connecticut state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12. Q: Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Connecticut? No. It isn't a Connecticut state holiday, so private employers don't have to give it. In 2026 it falls on Friday, November 27. Q: Do employers in Connecticut have to pay extra for working on a holiday? No, not by law. The Connecticut Department of Labor says there's no requirement to pay overtime for holidays except by agreement; overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate is due only after 40 hours in the workweek. Q: Do paid holidays count toward overtime in Connecticut? Connecticut overtime is due only for actual hours worked over 40 in the workweek, so holiday hours that are paid but not worked aren't actual hours worked. Q: What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend in Connecticut? 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. ## Sources - Connecticut State Holidays - DAS: https://portal.ct.gov/das/services-for-state-employees/holidays - Observance of 2027 Connecticut State Holidays (DAS PDF, per CGS 1-4): https://portal.ct.gov/das/-/media/das/statewide-hr/a---z-listing-task-pdfs/holidays---state-employee-observance-of-holidays---2027.pdf?rev=ee236f575c454ee1859e71e2d20b3423 - U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ - Connecticut Department of Labor: Wage and Hour - Minimum Wage/Overtime: https://portal.ct.gov/dol/divisions/wage-and-workplace-standards/wage-and-hour - Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 557, Sec. 31-57s (paid sick leave): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_557.htm - Holiday Pay | U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/holidays Holiday calendar data includes date-holidays (CC BY-SA 3.0), checked against the official sources above. Holiday dates come from public sources. Check your employment contract and the official sources above before you rely on them. CSV: https://vacationtracker.io/static/data/holiday-pages/united-states/connecticut-holidays-2026.csv