Employees should not be forced to work on holidays. That disrespects the purpose of the holiday. Hourly employees who are required to work on federal holidays or certain religious holidays should be paid time and a half for working on a holiday. Salaried employees required to work on holidays should be given another day off with pay if they are required to work on a holiday.
Federal holidays are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving. Religious holidays that should be recognized as major holidays are Easter, Christmas, Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr as well as others designated by certain faiths as major religious holidays.