The State of Louisiana has designated several days each calendar year as state holidays. The implications of these state holidays on public employers and private employers are discussed below.
The following list contains the state holidays recognized by Louisiana.
- New Year’s Day (January 1)
- Battle of New Orleans (January 8)
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)
- Robert E. Lee Day (January 19)
- Washington’s Birthday (3rd Monday in February)
- Good Friday (Friday before Easter, usually falls in March or April)
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
- Juneteenth Day (June 19)
- Confederate Memorial Day (June 3)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Huey P. Long Day (August 30)
- Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
- Columbus Day(2nd Monday in October)
- All Saints’ Day (November 1)
- Veterans Day (November 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
- Inauguration Day in the city of Baton Rouge
LA Statute 1.55(A)(1), LA Statute 1.55.1
Public employers
As far as it is practicable, state offices must state employees must be given the day off on the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day (January 1)
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)
- Mardi Gras Day
- Good Friday (Friday before Easter, usually falls in March or April)
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
- Veterans Day (November 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
- Inauguration Day in the city of Baton Rouge (every 4 years)
- General Election Day (every two years)
The governor may proclaim one of the following as a holiday for state offices in any given year depending on the pressure of state business: Robert E. Lee Day, Washington’s Birthday, Confederate Memorial Day, and Huey P. Long Day. The governor may also authorize the observance of other holidays or half-holidays if he deems it is in keeping with the efficient administration of state business. This includes the day after Thanksgiving, which is referred to as Acadian Day.
When a holiday falls on an employee’s regular day off, the employee’s holiday is the closest regularly scheduled workday before or after the legal holiday. Employees whose hours fall outside the holiday time period or only partially within the holiday time period will receive a compensatory time or overtime equivalent to the number of holiday hours. LA Statute 1.55(B)
Private employers
Private employers in Louisiana are not required to close on any of the listed holidays. Additionally, private employers are not required to allow employees to take either paid or unpaid time off on the holidays or are they required to pay employees any premium wage rates to employees who work on the holidays.
Private employers may establish policies or practices granting employees time off on any of the listed holidays or agree to pay premium wage rates to employees who work on those days. Employers who establish such policies or practices may be required to comply with them.
Find out more about Louisiana’s Leave Laws.
Federal Holidays
Click here for a list of federal holidays.
