SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Nebraska State Holidays 2026: Dates & Holiday Pay Rules URL: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/nebraska/2026/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2026-10-31 UPDATED: 2026-11-01 SUMMARY: All 11 federal and 2 Nebraska state holidays for 2026, with observed dates, holiday pay rules and free calendar downloads. # Nebraska Holidays 2026 Nebraska 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 Nebraska | 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 | | Arbor Day | 2026-04-24 | Friday | | State | Not required for private employers | | 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 | | 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 **Paid holidays.** Nebraska doesn't require employers to offer holiday pay. The Nebraska Department of Labor lists it as a fringe benefit employers may offer at their discretion. **Working on a holiday.** Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require extra pay for work on a holiday unless the hours are overtime hours. **Holidays and overtime.** Under federal law (the FLSA), paid holiday time off isn't hours worked, so it doesn't have to count toward overtime. Nebraska's labor department sends overtime questions to the US Department of Labor. **Holidays that fall on a weekend.** Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. **Unused vacation when someone leaves.** Nebraska requires employers to pay all earned, unused vacation when an employee leaves, regardless of the reason, unless the employer and employee or a collective-bargaining representative have specifically agreed otherwise. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/nebraska/#payment-of-accrued-unused-vacation-on-termination) **Sick leave.** Under Nebraska's paid sick leave law, employees accrue 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Employers with 11 to 19 employees provide up to 40 hours a year, and those with 20 or more up to 56. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/nebraska/#sick-leave-in-nebraska) Full rules: Nebraska leave laws: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/nebraska/ ## Maximize your PTO in 2026 These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Nebraska. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Nebraska state offices close for: Arbor Day and Day after Thanksgiving. 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 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 Thursday, April 23 off to get a 4-day weekend from April 23 to 26 (Arbor Day). - 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska holidays differ **State holidays.** Nebraska 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 Nebraska.** Only Nebraska has Arbor Day as a holiday in 2026. **Federal holidays.** Nebraska state offices observe all 11 federal holidays. Neighboring states in 2026: - [Colorado](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/colorado/2026/): 3 holidays of its own - [Iowa](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/iowa/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [Kansas](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/kansas/2026/): 2 holidays of its own - [Missouri](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/missouri/2026/): 2 holidays of its own - [South Dakota](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/south-dakota/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [Wyoming](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/wyoming/2026/): no 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 Nebraska have to give paid holidays? No. The Nebraska Department of Labor says fringe benefits, including holiday pay, are not required, and employers may offer them at their discretion. Q: What are the Nebraska state holidays in 2026? In 2026, Nebraska has the 11 federal holidays and 2 state holidays: Arbor Day (April 24) and Day after Thanksgiving (November 27). Q: Is Juneteenth a Nebraska state holiday? Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Nebraska state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19. Q: Is Columbus Day a Nebraska state holiday? Yes. Columbus Day is a federal holiday and a Nebraska state holiday, where it's called Indigenous Peoples' Day and Columbus Day. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12. Q: Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Nebraska? Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) is a Nebraska state holiday. Private employers don't have to give it. Q: Do employers in Nebraska have to pay extra for working on a holiday? Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require extra pay for work on a holiday unless the hours are overtime hours. Q: Do paid holidays count toward overtime in Nebraska? Under federal law (the FLSA), paid time off for a holiday isn't hours worked and doesn't need to be counted toward overtime. Q: What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend in Nebraska? 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 - Nebraska DAS: State Personnel Holiday Schedule: https://das.nebraska.gov/personnel/holiday.html - U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ - Wages (Nebraska Department of Labor guidance sheet): https://dol.nebraska.gov/webdocs/Resources/Items/Wages.pdf - Overtime Pay | U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/overtimepay - 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/nebraska-holidays-2026.csv