Are federal employees off July 3? See 2026 holiday calendar
July 3, the day before the country's 250th birthday, is this Friday. But some may be wondering, is it a federal holiday?
The answer is yes. July 3 is a federal holiday, meaning federal employees get the day off from work. However, a majority of banks and post offices will be open for standard operating hours on July 3, but will be closed on the Fourth of July.
Congress first established the Fourth of July as a holiday in Washington in 1870. It was expanded as a paid holiday to all federal employees in 1938.
The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The Fourth of July is typically observed on either a Friday or Monday if it falls on a weekend. The Fourth of July was last on a weekend in 2021, when it fell on a Sunday.
Here's a look at this year's federal holidays.
2026 federal holiday calendar
Here's the federal holiday calendar for the remainder of 2026, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management:
- Independence Day: Friday, July 3
- Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 7
- Columbus Day: Monday, Oct. 12
- Veterans Day: Wednesday, Nov. 11
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, Nov. 26
- Christmas: Friday, Dec. 25
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are federal employees off July 3? See 2026 holiday calendar
Reporting by Michelle Del Rey , USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 2, 2026 at 2:04 PM.