SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Minnesota State Holidays 2026: Dates & Holiday Pay Rules URL: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/minnesota/2026/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2026-10-31 UPDATED: 2026-11-01 SUMMARY: All 11 federal and 1 Minnesota state holiday for 2026, with observed dates, holiday pay rules and free calendar downloads. # Minnesota Holidays 2026 Minnesota 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. ## All 2026 holidays in Minnesota | 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 | | Washington's Birthday | 2026-02-16 | Monday | | Federal | 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 | Minnesota law names this day Indigenous Peoples Day; it isn't a holiday for the state executive branch (Minn. Stat. 645.44) | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Indigenous Peoples' Day (Statutory holiday, but state executive-branch offices stay open; optional for other branches and local governments) | 2026-10-12 | Monday | | Observance | Not a day off | | 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 (State executive-branch holiday; optional for other branches and local governments) | 2026-11-27 | Friday | | State | Not required for private employers | | 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.** Minnesota employers must pay for all hours worked, but state law doesn't require time-and-a-half for work on holidays. **Holidays and overtime.** Minnesota law requires overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate after 48 hours worked in a workweek, and federal law (the FLSA) after 40 hours for employers it covers. Overtime is based on hours actually worked, so paid holidays, vacation and sick leave don't count. **Earned sick and safe time.** Minnesota employees earn 1 hour of paid sick and safe time for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours a year unless you agree to more. It applies to employees expected to work at least 80 hours a year for you in Minnesota. **Holidays that fall on a weekend.** Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. **Unused vacation when someone leaves.** Minnesota leaves PTO payout to the employer's written policy or agreement. An employer must pay accrued vacation on separation only if a policy or contract stipulates it. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/minnesota/#payment-of-accrued-unused-vacation-on-termination) Full rules: Minnesota leave laws: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/minnesota/ ## Maximize your PTO in 2026 These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Minnesota. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Minnesota state offices close for: Day after Thanksgiving. Take all 12 suggested PTO days and you get **46 days off across 11 breaks**, including 9 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar. - Take Wednesday, November 25 off to get a 5-day break from November 25 to 29 (Thanksgiving Day and Day after Thanksgiving). - 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 Friday, February 13 off to get a 4-day weekend from February 13 to 16 (Washington's Birthday). - 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 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 US teams take time off The national pattern from Vacation Tracker data. We don't have enough Minnesota 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 Minnesota holidays differ **State holidays.** Minnesota 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. **Federal holidays.** Not a paid day off for Minnesota state employees: Columbus Day. Neighboring states in 2026: - [Iowa](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/iowa/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [North Dakota](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/north-dakota/2026/): 2 holidays of its own - [South Dakota](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/south-dakota/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [Wisconsin](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/wisconsin/2026/): 4 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 Minnesota have to give paid holidays? Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require employers to pay for holidays not worked; holiday pay is a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Q: What are the Minnesota state holidays in 2026? In 2026, Minnesota has the 11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday: Day after Thanksgiving (November 27). Q: Is Juneteenth a Minnesota state holiday? Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Minnesota state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19. Q: Is Columbus Day a Minnesota state holiday? Partly. Columbus Day is a federal holiday. Minnesota law names this day Indigenous Peoples Day. It isn't a holiday for the state executive branch (Minn. Stat. 645.44). In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12. Q: Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Minnesota? Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) is a Minnesota state holiday. Private employers don't have to give it. Q: Do employers in Minnesota have to pay extra for working on a holiday? No. Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry says time-and-a-half for holiday work isn't required by law, but you must pay for all hours worked. Q: Do paid holidays count toward overtime in Minnesota? No. In Minnesota, overtime is based on actual hours worked and doesn't include holidays, vacation or sick leave days used. Q: What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend in Minnesota? 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 - Minn. Stat. 645.44 subd. 5 (Holiday definition): https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/645.44 - U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ - Wages and overtime FAQs | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/employment-practices/wages-and-overtime-faqs - Overtime laws | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: https://www.dli.mn.gov/overtime - Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: Earned sick and safe time: https://www.dli.mn.gov/sick-leave - 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/minnesota-holidays-2026.csv