Paid and Unpaid Holidays

State Legal Holidays

RCW 1.16.050 establishes the Washington State legal holidays when state offices are closed, and the Washington State Department of Revenue maintains the State Holiday Schedule, which lists all legal holidays.

While many local governments (and MRSC) choose to follow the state holiday schedule and are also closed on those days, they are not required to, though there are a few exceptions:

• Courts must close on the state-recognized legal holidays pursuant to RCW 2.28.100 and RCW 2.28.110, and 
• Schools are required to close on state-recognized legal holidays under RCW 28A.150.050.

RCW 1.16.050(5) provides that when a legal holiday falls upon a Sunday, the following Monday shall be the legal holiday. When a legal holiday falls upon a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be the legal holiday.

Under RCW 1.16.050(6), the legislative body of each local government has the discretion to adopt more or fewer paid holidays through their ordinances, resolutions, personnel policies, or collective bargaining agreements. Also see the "Floating Holidays" section on this page.

Federal Legal Holidays

The list of federal legal holidays is similar to the list of state legal holidays, but not identical. Local governments are not required to follow the federal holiday schedule. RCW 1.16.050(4) addresses the overlap between state and federal holidays.

For a list of upcoming federal holidays, see the U.S. Office of Personnel Management page on Pay & Leave: Federal Holidays.

Juneteenth

Beginning in 2022, Juneteenth (June 19) is now a state legal holiday commemorating the abolishment of slavery and the day that the knowledge of freedom reached the last remaining enslaved people in 1865. Juneteenth also became a federal legal holiday in 2021.

For local governments considering adding Juneteenth as a paid holiday, below are a few examples:

• Asotin County Resolution No. 23-23 (2023) — Adds Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
• Bellingham Resolution No. 2021-30 (2021) — Adds Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
• Bremerton Ordinance No. 5425 (2021) — Adds Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
• King County Ordinance No. 19209 (2020) — Adds Juneteenth as a paid holiday for all county employees eligible for comprehensive leave benefits (the county adopted this ordinance prior to the state adopting Juneteenth as a state legal holiday).
• Seattle Ordinance No. 126505 (2021) — Adds Juneteenth as paid holiday and establishes a free parking holiday.
• Tukwila Ordinance No. 2670 (2022) — Adds Juneteenth as a paid holiday and increases the number of personal floating holidays from one to two. Includes earlier ceremonial resolution commemorating Juneteenth as an annual celebration and occasion to honor African Americans in the community.
• Walla Walla Ordinance No. 2021-36 (2021) — Adds Juneteenth as paid holiday.
• Yakima Ordinance No. 2021-028 (2021) — Adds Juneteenth as paid holiday.

Additional Local Holidays

As noted earlier, under RCW 1.16.050(6) local governments may establish additional holidays beyond those established in state law. Below are some examples.

• King County Ordinance No. 19208 (2020) — Establishes Indigenous Peoples' Day (October 12) as paid holiday; directs staff to consult with tribes and county employees who identify as Native American on the appropriate date. Following consultation, includes second ordinance and supporting staff report changing date from October 12 to second Monday in October.
• Sammamish Resolution No. R2021-926 (2021) — Provides one-time Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve paid holidays for non-represented employees to create consistency/equity with represented employees. Resolution states the city will update the employee handbook the following year to provide those holidays permanently.
• Seattle Ordinance No. 126559 (2022) — Establishing Indigenous Peoples' Day (second Monday in October) as a paid holiday; also authorizes memoranda of understanding between the city and certain labor unions to add Indigenous Peoples' Day and Juneteenth as paid holidays.

Floating Holiday

RCW 1.16.050(2) gives state employees one additional paid holiday per calendar year. This additional holiday — often referred to as a “floating” holiday — is taken on a date determined by the employee after consultation with his or her employer pursuant to an adopted policy.

However, the floating holiday is not required for local governments. While the text of RCW 1.16.050(2) applies to most of the state's "political subdivisions" and seemingly makes the floating holiday a requirement for local governments, the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has interpreted RCW 1.16.050(6) as authorizing local governments to not provide the floating holiday to its employees (AGO 1978 No. 7).

Unpaid Religious Holidays and Model Policy

RCW 1.16.050(3) entitles employees of the state and its political subdivision to take two unpaid holidays per calendar year "for a reason of faith or conscience or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization."

The employee may select the specific days to take as unpaid holidays after consulting with the employer under guidelines adopted by local ordinance or resolution. The employer must allow the employee to take these specific days as unpaid leave unless it would impose an undue hardship on the employer, or the employee is necessary to maintain public safety.

The Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) has adopted administrative rules defining "undue hardship" and providing guidance on how to determine whether an undue hardship exists (see chapter 82-56 WAC, as authorized by RCW 43.41.109).