If your clients are in the US, their holidays shape your calendar too. A Monday off in New York empties your Monday afternoon call block in London, or your Monday evening in Pune. Here are the US federal holidays for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027, how the “observed” rule moves weekend dates, what private companies tend to do, and how to plan calls, voicemail and invoices around them.
What are the US federal holidays in 2027?
The US has 11 federal holidays, set by law and listed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). These are the days federal offices close in 2027:
| Holiday | Day off in 2027 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Friday, January 1 | Long weekend, January 1 to 3 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 18 | Third Monday in January; long weekend January 16 to 18 |
| Washington’s Birthday (often called Presidents’ Day) | Monday, February 15 | Third Monday in February |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 31 | Last Monday in May; seen as the start of summer |
| Juneteenth National Independence Day | Friday, June 18 | June 19 is a Saturday |
| Independence Day | Monday, July 5 | July 4 is a Sunday |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 6 | First Monday in September |
| Columbus Day | Monday, October 11 | Second Monday in October; some states and cities mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead |
| Veterans Day | Thursday, November 11 | Always November 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, November 25 | Fourth Thursday in November |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 24 | December 25 is a Saturday |
| New Year’s Day 2028 | Friday, December 31 | January 1, 2028 is a Saturday |
That makes 12 federal days off inside calendar year 2027: the 11 holidays, plus December 31, which is the observed day for New Year’s Day 2028. With Christmas observed on Friday, December 24 and New Year’s on Friday, December 31, the last two weeks of 2027 each end with a holiday.
Which US holidays are left in 2026?
Three, all from the OPM list:
| Holiday | Date in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Veterans Day | Wednesday, November 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, November 26 |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 25 |
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2026, is not a federal holiday, but many US teams are away for some or all of the week between Christmas and New Year. New Year’s Day 2027 also falls on a Friday, so December 25 and January 1 both start long weekends, one week apart.
How does the “observed” rule work?
When a holiday falls on a weekend, federal employees get a nearby weekday off instead. OPM’s rule is simple:
- Saturday holiday: the Friday before is the day off.
- Sunday holiday: the Monday after is the day off.
In 2027 that rule moves three dates: Juneteenth (Saturday, June 19, observed Friday, June 18), Independence Day (Sunday, July 4, observed Monday, July 5) and Christmas (Saturday, December 25, observed Friday, December 24). It also places the New Year’s Day 2028 holiday on Friday, December 31, 2027.
Fireworks and family gatherings still happen on the day itself. The rule decides when offices close, not when people celebrate.
Do US companies close on every federal holiday?
No. The federal list applies to federal employees. Private companies choose their own holidays, and practice varies by company and industry. A rough guide to what to expect:
| Holiday | What many US employers do |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas | Many offices close |
| Friday after Thanksgiving | Many companies give it off too, though it is not a federal holiday |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Juneteenth | Varies: some close, others stay open |
| Columbus Day, Veterans Day | Many private offices stay open; banks, post offices and federal offices usually close |
Federal offices, the US Postal Service and federal courts close on the federal list; state and city offices set their own holidays. Banks generally close on weekday federal holidays too. Retail stores, restaurants and many online businesses stay open, and some are busiest on holiday weekends.
The safe habit is to ask. Early in the year, ask each client which days their team takes off, and add those to your calendar. One email in January saves a lot of unanswered calls later.
How do US holidays affect invoices and payments?
More than you might expect, for two reasons:
- Bank transfers pause. Transfers through US banks are usually not processed on weekends or bank holidays. A payment sent on the Friday before Labor Day weekend may not move until Tuesday.
- Accounts teams are away. The person who approves your invoice may take the whole week of Thanksgiving or the end of December off.
A few habits help:
- Send invoices a few working days before a holiday, not on the day before.
- Set due dates on a US working day. A due date of Monday, July 5, 2027 is a holiday.
- Plan around December 2027. With Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31 both off, send December invoices by mid-month.
- Check your payment provider’s holiday notice. When a holiday falls on a weekend, bank schedules can differ from the federal day off.
How should you plan calls around US holidays?
Treat the US holiday as the client’s day, wherever you are. A US Monday holiday is your Monday afternoon if you work from Europe and your Monday evening if you work from India or the Philippines. The best time to call US clients shows how US hours line up with your day.
- Avoid the long-weekend edges. The Friday before and the day after a long weekend are often quiet, then busy with catch-up.
- Book Thanksgiving week early. Monday and Tuesday are usually fine; from Wednesday afternoon many people have left. In 2027 that is November 22 to 26.
- Expect a slow end of December. In 2027, plan the last decision calls for the week of December 13.
- Tell clients about your own holidays. If you are off for Eid, Diwali or a national day, say so a week or two ahead, the same way you would want them to.
What should your voicemail say over a holiday?
If you take the US holiday off, or are away for your own, record a short holiday greeting before you go and switch back when you return. A made-up example:
“You’ve reached [your name]. I’m away for Thanksgiving and back on [Monday, November 29]. Leave your name, number and what it’s about, and I’ll call you back that day. For anything urgent, email [email].”
Our voicemail greeting scripts include a full out-of-office script, and the voicemail guide covers alerts and missed calls.
How does a US number help over holidays?
A US number gives clients a familiar way to reach you, and voicemail handles the days you are not working. On the TripoSIM US Virtual Number, incoming calls are included with a fair use of 300 minutes a month. TripoSIM says calls ring even when the app is closed once notifications and the microphone are allowed; a phone that is off, offline or has notifications blocked does not ring, and callers reach voicemail. Voicemail messages can be up to 2 minutes, up to 30 a month, kept 30 days, so messages left over a long weekend are still there when you return.
The number receives texts but cannot send them, so a holiday greeting should say “call or email”. The business contact checklist shows where to list your hours and holidays.
The bottom line
In 2027 the US federal days off are January 1, January 18, February 15, May 31, June 18, July 5, September 6, October 11, November 11, November 25, December 24 and December 31. Ask each client which days their company closes, keep invoices away from long weekends, book Thanksgiving week and December calls early, and record a holiday voicemail greeting before you go. To compare the plans, $100 a year or $12.99 a month, see the plans page.