How many days of paid holiday do US workers get?

There is no legal minimum. Most private employers still offer paid vacation: workers average 11 days after one year of service and 16 after five, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most also get six to eight paid public holidays, so a typical first-year total is around 17 to 19 days.

No. No federal law requires private employers to give paid vacation or paid public holidays, and no state requires paid vacation either. Leave is a benefit set by each employer’s policy. Paid sick leave is different, because around 20 states and a number of cities require employers to provide it.

There are 11 federal holidays, but private employers decide which ones to observe. Most give between six and eight, usually including New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In March 2026, 81% of private-sector workers had paid holidays, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid leave, which is 28 days for a full-time employee and can include bank holidays. A typical US employee with one year’s service gets about 11 vacation days plus six to eight paid holidays. That is roughly 17 to 19 days in total, with no legal guarantee.

It depends on the state. California and a few other states treat earned vacation as wages, so it must be paid out when employment ends and cannot be forfeited. Many other states let the employer’s written policy decide. Check the rules in each state where your remote employees work before setting a policy.