518 Holiday Leave

518.1 Observed Holidays

The following 11 days are observed as holidays by the U.S. Postal Service:

New Year’s Day January 1

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday 3rd Monday in January

Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day 3rd Monday in February

Memorial Day Last Monday in May

Juneteenth National Independence Day June 19

Independence Day July 4

Labor Day 1st Monday in September

Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October

Veterans’ Day November 11

Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in November

Christmas Day December 25

Note: Administrative leave is not granted for absence on state, local, or religious holidays. To the fullest extent practicable, annual leave or LWOP is granted to employees for observance of their religious holidays.

518.2 Holidays on Nonscheduled Workdays

518.21 Saturday

When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as the holiday.

518.22 Sunday

When a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the holiday.

518.23 Nonscheduled Workday

When an employee’s nonscheduled workday falls on a day observed as a holiday, the employee’s scheduled workday preceding the holiday is designated as that employee’s holiday.

518.3 Holidays on Scheduled Workdays

Holidays falling on an employee’s scheduled workday are observed on those days.

518.4 Eligibility for Holiday Pay

See 434.4.

518.5 Provisions for Rural Carriers and Substitutes

518.51 Rural Carriers

Rural carriers are not required to report to post offices for any purpose on legal holidays. When a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is observed. Rural carriers are not permitted to substitute any other day.

518.52 Substitute Rural Carriers

When the holiday falls on a service day for a triweekly route, the carrier is not required to serve until the next scheduled service day.

518.6 Provisions for Postmasters

For all full–time postmasters except those in EAS A–E offices, if a holiday falls on a Saturday that is a nonscheduled workday, the preceding Friday is designated as the postmaster’s holiday. When necessary, additional workhour allowances are authorized for those post offices without a senior supervisor to provide relief coverage during the postmaster’s absence on holiday leave (see 434.412).