Wisconsin Holidays 2026
Wisconsin has 11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays in 2026. Private employers don't have to give any of them.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
11 federal holidays, 4 state holidays and 1 commonly given in 2026.
11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays in 2026.
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All 2026 holidays in Wisconsin
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 | 15Sun | Susan B. Anthony DayCommemorative day only; not a legal or state employee holiday | Observance | Not a day off | |
| 16Mon | Washington's BirthdayLegal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20, but not a paid holiday for Wisconsin state employees | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| April | 5Sun | Easter Sunday | Observance | Not a day off | |
| May | 25Mon | Memorial Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| June | 19Fri | JuneteenthLegal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20, but not a paid holiday for Wisconsin state employees | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| July | 4Sat | Independence DayFalls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jul 3Wisconsin state offices don't move it to a weekday; state employees get floating holiday hours instead | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| August | 11Tue | Primary Election DayLegal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20; not a paid holiday for state employees, and state offices stay open | State | Not required for private employers | |
| September | 7Mon | Labor Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| October | 12Mon | Columbus DayLegal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20, but not a paid holiday for Wisconsin state employees | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| November | 3Tue | Election DayLegal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20; not a paid holiday for state employees, and state offices stay open | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 11Wed | Veterans DayLegal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20; state offices stay open, and state employees get one extra personal holiday each year for it | 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 EvePaid state employee holiday (not a 995.20 legal holiday) | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 25Fri | Christmas Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 31Thu | New Year's EvePaid state employee holiday (not a 995.20 legal holiday) | State | Not required for private employers |
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What employers need to know
Paid holidays
Wisconsin employers aren't required to provide holiday, vacation or sick pay. If you create a benefit policy, you're free to set its conditions.
Paid holidays and overtime
In Wisconsin, paid holiday hours don't have to count as hours worked when you figure overtime. Overtime is owed only after 40 hours actually worked in the workweek, not for working on a particular day.
Unused vacation at separation
Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development says that if an employer has a written vacation policy without a written forfeiture policy, the employer must pay the employee for earned, unused vacation.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, Wisconsin state employees get floating holiday hours instead; a Sunday holiday is observed on Monday.
Sick leave
Wisconsin doesn't have a sick leave law, but the Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act provides unpaid sick leave for eligible employees.
From our Wisconsin leave laws guideMaximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Wisconsin. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Wisconsin state offices close for: Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Take all 13 suggested PTO days and you get 51 days off across 12 breaks, including 9 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 US teams take time off
The national pattern from Vacation Tracker data. We don't have enough Wisconsin data for a state view yet.
How Wisconsin holidays differ
State holidays
Wisconsin has 4 holidays of its own in 2026 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 5 have more and 37 have fewer.
Shared with a few states
Primary Election Day is also a state holiday in Indiana and West Virginia. New Year's Eve is also a state holiday in Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Federal holidays
Not a paid day off for Wisconsin state employees: Washington's Birthday, Juneteenth, Columbus Day and Veterans Day.
Neighboring states in 2026
- Illinois3 holidays of its own
- Iowa1 holiday of its own
- Michigan4 holidays of its own
- Minnesota1 holiday of its own
Sources
- State Holidays - Wisconsin Division of Personnel Management
- Wis. Stat. 995.20 Legal holidays
- Wis. Stat. 5.02(12s) (partisan primary)
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays
- Wage Payment and Collection | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
- Hours of Work and Overtime | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
- Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA | 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
No. Wisconsin employers aren't required to provide fringe benefits such as holiday, vacation or sick pay.
In 2026, Wisconsin has the 11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays: Primary Election Day (August 11), Election Day (November 3), Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year's Eve (December 31).
Partly. Juneteenth is a federal holiday. Legal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20, but not a paid holiday for Wisconsin state employees. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19.
Partly. Columbus Day is a federal holiday. Legal holiday under Wis. Stat. 995.20, but not a paid holiday for Wisconsin state employees. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12.
No. It isn't a Wisconsin state holiday, so private employers don't have to give it. In 2026 it falls on Friday, November 27.
Not under federal law. The FLSA doesn't require overtime pay for work on holidays as such; covered non-exempt employees get time and a half for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
No. In Wisconsin, hours paid for time not worked, such as holiday pay, don't have to count as hours worked when figuring overtime.
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, Wisconsin state employees get floating holiday hours instead; a Sunday holiday is observed on Monday. In 2026, Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3.