SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Louisiana State Holidays 2026: Dates & Holiday Pay Rules URL: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/louisiana/2026/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2026-10-31 UPDATED: 2026-11-01 SUMMARY: All 11 federal and 8 Louisiana state holidays for 2026, with observed dates, holiday pay rules and free calendar downloads. # Louisiana Holidays 2026 Louisiana has 11 federal holidays and 8 state holidays in 2026. Private employers don't have to give any of them. Last updated on Nov 1, 2026. ## All 2026 holidays in Louisiana | Holiday | Date | Day of week | Notes | Type | Paid by law? | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | New Year's Day | 2026-01-01 | Thursday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Day after New Year's Day (Proclaimed by the Governor) | 2026-01-02 | Friday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | 2026-01-19 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Lundi Gras (Proclaimed a state holiday by the Governor) | 2026-02-16 | Monday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Washington's Birthday | 2026-02-16 | Monday | Louisiana state offices closed this day for Lundi Gras instead (proclaimed holiday) | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Mardi Gras | 2026-02-17 | Tuesday | | State | 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 | Not a Louisiana state holiday: Not observed by state offices (R.S. 1:55) | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Election Day | 2026-11-03 | Tuesday | | State | 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 | | Acadian Day (Proclaimed by the Governor (43 JML 2026)) | 2026-11-27 | Friday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Christmas Eve (Proclaimed by the Governor (44 JML 2026)) | 2026-12-24 | Thursday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Christmas Day | 2026-12-25 | Friday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | New Year's Eve (Proclaimed by the Governor) | 2026-12-31 | Thursday | | State | Not required for private employers | ## What employers need to know **Paid holidays.** Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require Louisiana employers to pay for holidays that aren't worked. Holiday pay is a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee. **Working on a holiday.** Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require Louisiana employers to pay overtime or a premium just because work falls on a holiday. Overtime is owed only if the employee works more than 40 hours in the workweek. **Vacation pay at separation.** In Louisiana, earned vacation pay under your stated vacation policy must be paid when an employee is discharged or resigns, if they were eligible for it and hadn't taken it or been paid for it. Your policy can't make employees forfeit vacation pay they've already earned. **Holidays that fall on a weekend.** Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. For Louisiana state employees, when a holiday falls on a regular day off, the agency head designates the closest workday before or after it (R.S. 1:55(B)(4)). The Governor can also proclaim the day for all state offices. **Sick leave.** Louisiana doesn't require private employers to provide paid or unpaid sick leave. Eligible employers must comply with the federal FMLA, but there are no additional state sick leave laws. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/louisiana/#sick-leave-in-louisiana) Full rules: Louisiana leave laws: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/louisiana/ ## Maximize your PTO in 2026 These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Louisiana. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Louisiana state offices close for: Day after New Year's Day, Lundi Gras, Mardi Gras, Good Friday, Election Day, Acadian Day, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Take all 15 suggested PTO days and you get **62 days off across 14 breaks**, including 8 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar. - Take Monday, January 5 off to get a 5-day break from January 1 to 5 (New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day). - Take Friday, February 13 off to get a 5-day break from February 13 to 17 (Lundi Gras, Washington's Birthday and Mardi Gras). - Take Wednesday, November 25 off to get a 5-day break from November 25 to 29 (Thanksgiving Day and Acadian Day). - Take Wednesday, December 23 off to get a 5-day break from December 23 to 27 (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). - Take Wednesday, December 30 off to get a 5-day break from December 30 to January 3 (New Year's Eve and 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 Monday, November 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from October 31 to November 3 (Election Day). - Take Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10 off to get a 5-day break from November 7 to 11 (Veterans Day). ## When US teams take time off The national pattern from Vacation Tracker data. We don't have enough Louisiana data for a state view yet. - Dec 21 – 27 (Week 52): 2.5× a normal week - Jun 29 – Jul 5 (Week 27): 1.5× a normal week - Jul 6 – 12 (Week 28): 1.5× a normal week - Jul 27 – Aug 2 (Week 31): 1.5× a normal week - Aug 3 – 9 (Week 32): 1.5× a normal week ## How Louisiana holidays differ **State holidays.** Louisiana has 8 holidays of its own in 2026 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 1 have more and 49 have fewer. **Only in Louisiana.** Only Louisiana has Lundi Gras and Acadian Day as holidays in 2026. **Shared with a few states.** Day after New Year's Day is also a state holiday in Kentucky and Tennessee. Mardi Gras is also a state holiday in Alabama. New Year's Eve is also a state holiday in Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin. **Federal holidays.** Not a paid day off for Louisiana state employees: Washington's Birthday and Columbus Day. Neighboring states in 2026: - [Arkansas](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/arkansas/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [Mississippi](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/mississippi/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [Texas](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/texas/2026/): 10 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 Louisiana have to give paid holidays? Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require pay for holidays that aren't worked; it's a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Check your own policy or contracts for any holiday pay you've promised in Louisiana. Q: What are the Louisiana state holidays in 2026? In 2026, Louisiana has the 11 federal holidays and 8 state holidays: Day after New Year's Day (January 2), Lundi Gras (February 16), Mardi Gras (February 17), Good Friday (April 3), Election Day (November 3), Acadian Day (November 27), Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year's Eve (December 31). Washington's Birthday and Columbus Day are federal holidays, but not Louisiana state holidays. Q: Is Juneteenth a Louisiana state holiday? Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Louisiana state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19. Q: Is Columbus Day a Louisiana state holiday? No. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but it isn't a Louisiana state holiday. Not observed by state offices (R.S. 1:55). In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12. Q: Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Louisiana? Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) is a Louisiana state holiday, Acadian Day. Private employers don't have to give it. Q: Do employers in Louisiana have to pay extra for working on a holiday? Not under federal law. The FLSA doesn't require overtime pay for holiday work as such, so Louisiana employers only owe time-and-a-half if the employee works more than 40 hours in the workweek. Q: Do paid holidays count toward overtime in Louisiana? Not under federal law. Paid time off for a holiday isn't hours worked under the FLSA, so Louisiana employers don't have to count it toward the 40 hours that trigger overtime. Q: What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend in Louisiana? Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. For Louisiana state employees, when a holiday falls on a regular day off, the agency head designates the closest workday before or after it (R.S. 1:55(B)(4)). The Governor can also proclaim the day for all state offices. In 2026, Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3. ## Sources - Louisiana Division of Administration - State Holiday Calendar: https://www.doa.la.gov/doa/hr/state-holiday-calendar/ - La. R.S. 1:55 Days of public rest, legal holidays, and half-holidays: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=74097 - State Civil Service Job Aid: Understanding State Holidays: https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/files/HRHandbook/JobAid/11-Understanding%20State%20Holidays.pdf - General Circular 2026-023 (Memorial Day and Juneteenth 2026 proclamations): https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/files/general_circulars/2026/GC2026-023.pdf - U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ - Holiday Pay | U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/holidays - Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA | U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/23-flsa-overtime-pay - R.S. 23:631 - Discharge or resignation of employees; payment after termination of employment (Louisiana State Legislature): https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=83945 - FLSA Hours Worked Advisor: Holidays, Vacations and Sick Time | U.S. Department of Labor: https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/whd/flsa/hoursworked/screenEE14.asp 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/louisiana-holidays-2026.csv