Massachusetts Holidays 2026
Massachusetts has 11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday in 2026. Private employers don't have to give any of them.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
11 federal holidays, 1 state holiday and 3 commonly given in 2026.
11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday in 2026.
Trusted by 200,000+ people at companies you know
All 2026 holidays in Massachusetts
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 | 17Tue | Evacuation DayLegal holiday in Suffolk County only; state and municipal offices stay open | Observance | Not a day off | |
| April | 5Sun | Easter Sunday | Observance | Not a day off | |
| 20Mon | Patriots' Day | State | Not required for private employers | ||
| May | 25Mon | Memorial Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| June | 17Wed | Bunker Hill DayLegal holiday in Suffolk County only; state and municipal offices stay open | Observance | Not a day off | |
| 19Fri | Juneteenth | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| July | 4Sat | Independence DayFalls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jul 3Massachusetts state offices don't move it to a weekday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| September | 7Mon | Labor Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| October | 12Mon | Columbus Day | Federal | 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 |
Massachusetts 2026 is already addedImport Massachusetts' 2026 holidays into Vacation Tracker automatically, in one click
Your team sees them in Microsoft Teams, Slack or Google Workspace. Free for 14 days, no credit card.
What employers need to know
Working on a holiday
Massachusetts retailers no longer have to pay premium pay for Sundays and certain holidays; that requirement ended on January 1, 2023. Retail employers must still pay hourly employees 1.5 times their normal rate for hours over 40 a week, including hours on a Sunday or holiday.
Holidays and overtime
In Massachusetts, holiday pay for a day the employee doesn't work isn't counted toward the 40 hours for overtime. Overtime is based on hours actually worked in the workweek.
Retail holiday work must be voluntary
Massachusetts retailers can open without a permit on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day after noon and Veterans Day after 1 p.m., but the Blue Laws' voluntariness requirement applies on those days. Opening on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day needs a statewide approval and a local police permit.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. Massachusetts state offices don't move Independence Day to a weekday.
Unused vacation when someone leaves
Massachusetts requires employers to pay out earned, unused vacation when an employee leaves, regardless of the reason. A policy that makes employees forfeit accrued vacation on leaving isn't allowed.
From our Massachusetts leave laws guideSick leave
Massachusetts employers with 11 or more employees must offer paid sick leave at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year. Smaller employers have to provide unpaid sick leave.
From our Massachusetts leave laws guideMaximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Massachusetts. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Massachusetts state offices close for: Patriots' Day. Take all 13 suggested PTO days and you get 49 days off across 12 breaks, including 11 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 Massachusetts teams take time off
The 5 weeks when the most Massachusetts employees using Vacation Tracker were off, compared with an average week.
- Aug 3 – 9Week 32 2.9× a normal week2.9×
- Aug 17 – 23Week 34 2.9× a normal week2.9×
- Aug 10 – 16Week 33 2.0× a normal week2.0×
- Jul 27 – Aug 2Week 31 2.0× a normal week2.0×
- Jun 29 – Jul 5Week 27 2.0× a normal week2.0×
How Massachusetts holidays differ
State holidays
Massachusetts has 1 holiday of its own in 2026 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 35 have more and 4 have fewer.
Shared with a few states
Patriots' Day is also a state holiday in Maine.
Federal holidays
Massachusetts state offices observe all 11 federal holidays.
Neighboring states in 2026
- Connecticut2 holidays of its own
- New Hampshire2 holidays of its own
- New York2 holidays of its own
- Rhode Island2 holidays of its own
- Vermont3 holidays of its own
Sources
- MA Secretary of the Commonwealth – Holiday Information / State Holiday Calendar (2026-2028)
- M.G.L. c.4 §7 cl. Eighteenth – Legal holiday definition
- Mass.gov – Trial Court Legal Holidays 2026/2027
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays
- Massachusetts Blue Laws and Working on Sundays and Holidays | Mass.gov
- Minimum wage and overtime information | Mass.gov
- Holiday Pay | 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
Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require pay for holidays not worked; holiday pay is a matter of agreement between employer and employee.
In 2026, Massachusetts has the 11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday: Patriots' Day (April 20).
Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Massachusetts state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19.
Yes. Columbus Day is a federal holiday and a Massachusetts state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12.
No. It isn't a Massachusetts state holiday, so private employers don't have to give it. In 2026 it falls on Friday, November 27.
No. Under the Massachusetts minimum fair wage law, an employer doesn't have to pay extra for holiday work. The Sunday and holiday premium pay that certain retailers once owed ended on January 1, 2023.
No. In Massachusetts, holiday pay for a day the employee doesn't work isn't included in the 40 hours for overtime. An employee who works 40 hours and also gets 8 hours of holiday pay isn't owed 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. Massachusetts state offices don't move Independence Day to a weekday.