US President Trump signed an executive order allowing federal employees to take a day off on December 24 and December 26 this year. This raised a question from private business owners across the US: “Should we also give our employees a day off?” The simple answer is: no. Private employers are not required by law to give employees time off due to federal holidays. Although major holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and July 4 are mostly adopted by employers as holidays, this is at the employer's discretion. Other holidays, such as June Festival and Veterans Day, are less commonly observed.

US President Trump signed an executive order allowing federal employees to take a day off on December 24 and December 26 this year. This raised a question from private business owners across the US: “Should we also give our employees a day off?” The simple answer is: no. Private employers are not required by law to give employees time off due to federal holidays. Although major holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and July 4 are mostly adopted by employers as holidays, this is at the employer's discretion. Other holidays, such as June Festival and Veterans Day, are less commonly observed.