Are you planning your business strategy for 2025? It’s vital you keep in mind all Texas state holidays in 2025 so you can plan accordingly. With this information, you’ll be able to forecast peak dates and times in order to manage staffing needs and make informed decisions regarding time off. In addition to knowing when Texas state holidays are, it is also crucial all business owners and HR professionals understand the specific regulations regarding holiday pay to maintain a compliant work environment.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll see an overview of the Texas state calendar for 2025 and how employers should handle these holidays depending on if they’re a public or private entity. Moreover, we will delve into Texas holiday and leave laws so you can foster a fair and productive workplace.
Texas state holidays 2025
Overview of federal holidays in Texas 2025:
- New Year’s Day (Wednesday, January 1, 2025)
- Martin Luther King Day (Monday, January 20, 2025)
- Washington’s Birthday or President’s Day (Monday, February 17, 2025)
- Memorial Day (Monday, May 26, 2025)
- Juneteenth (Thursday, June 19, 2025)
- Independence Day (Friday, July 4, 2025)
- Labor Day (Monday, September 1, 2025)
- Veterans Day (Tuesday, November 11, 2025)
- Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 27, 2025)
- Christmas (Thursday, December 25, 2025)
Unlike states like Florida where it is common to only celebrate federal holidays, Texas celebrates various state holidays.
Texas state holidays 2025:
- Confederate Memorial Day (January 19) (Also known as Confederate Heroes Day)
- Texas Independence Day (March 2)
- San Jacinto Day (April 21)
- Lyndon Baines Johnson Day aka LBJ Day (August 27)
- The Day after Thanksgiving Day (November 29)
- Christmas Eve (December 24)
- The Day after Christmas Day (December 26)
Optional holidays (for state employees):
- Rosh Hashanah (October 3 & 4)
- Cesar Chavez Day (March 31)
- Good Friday (April 18)
Texas does not recognize Columbus Day (Monday, October 13, 2025) as a paid state holiday, though it remains widely observed across the state. Regarding the listed optional holidays, state employees may substitute a national or state holiday (provided it does not fall on a weekend) for one of the designated “optional holidays.”
In order to qualify for this exchange, the state employee must work either:
- The day before the optional holiday,
- The day after the optional holiday, or
- Both days
On the other hand, private employers in Texas are not legally obligated to observe these holidays or provide paid time off. The decision to grant time off or provide holiday pay to private employees is at the discretion of the employer and may vary from one company to another. Different rules apply to state and government employees, as we will see below.
Significance behind Texas state holidays
- Confederate Memorial Day (April 26)
This holiday is also referred to as Confederate Heroes Day in Texas, was originally created to remember the lost lives of the Confederate soldiers who fought in the American civil war. Although this holiday has been met with some resistance as well as controversy, the state of Texas continues to recognize this day as an official state holiday. While state offices will remain open in Texas, state employees are eligible to have an optional day off.
- Texas Independence Day (March 2)
This day marks the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836. During this time, the Republic of Texas was officially established and free from Mexico and their political influence. Celebrations are held statewide from parades to free concerts and events for everyone to enjoy.
- San Jacinto Day (April 21)
San Jacinto Day celebrates the Battle of San Jacinto which was the final batter of the Texas revolution that took place in April 21, 1836. It was at this moment where Texas won its independence from Mexico. Even though this is a state recognized holiday, state offices will not be closed, but will only require the bare minimum of staff members to keep the offices running.
- Lyndon Baines Johnson Day aka LBJ Day (August 27)
The state of Texas declared every August 27 as a holiday to honor the former president and a Texas native, Lyndon Baines Johnson. This holiday is optional for state employees and state offices operate normally without closing.
- The Day after Thanksgiving Day (November 28)
- Christmas Eve (December 24)
- The Day after Christmas Day (December 26)
The three holidays mentioned above do not have a specific reason for being designated as holidays in the state of Texas. However, they are generally believed to serve as a way to extend the holiday season, encourage spending, and promote travel. Like other states including California and Wisconsin observe at least one of these days; however, Texas is the only state that recognizes all three.
State of Texas holiday and leave laws
Now that we’ve explored the state holiday schedule for 2025, let’s take a look at some of the general holiday and leave laws in the state that you need to be aware of when you create your employee leave policies. This might include your policies for personal time off, parental leave, floating holidays, and VTO.
Vacation leave
There are no state laws in Texas that require employers to provide paid vacation leave to their employees. However, many employers in Texas choose to offer paid vacation leave as part of their employee compensation packages.
There are also no state laws in Texas that regulate how vacation leave is accrued. This means that employers are free to set their own vacation payout and PTO carry over policies. For example, some employers may pay out unused vacation leave when an employee terminates their employment, while others may not.
Family and medical leave
Generally speaking, Texas law does not require employers to provide employees with sick leave benefits, either paid or unpaid. However, certain employees are entitled to family and medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Specifically, the FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers (those who employ 50 or more employees) to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for:
- The birth and care of the employee’s child, or placement for adoption or foster care of a child with the employee.
- Care of an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent) who has a serious health condition.
- Care of the employee’s own serious health condition.
- If the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty”.
As well as:
- Twenty-six work weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the service member’s spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave).
For an employee to be eligible for FMLA, they must:
- Has worked for the employer for at least 12 months.
- Has worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months immediately before the date FMLA leave begins.
Military leave
Texas law requires employers to allow employees to take time off from work to serve in the military. Employers must pay employees their regular wages for the time they spend serving in the military.
The length of military leave depends on the type of military service. For example, the state provides employees called to active duty with up to 52 weeks of paid military leave per year. On the other hand, the state provides employees called to inactive duty training with up to 15 days of paid military leave per year.
Employees who are called to military service are also entitled to certain benefits under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). These benefits include the right to be reemployed in their former job after returning from military service, and the right to be reinstated to their former seniority, benefits, and pay.
Jury duty leave
Texas law requires employers to allow employees to take time off from work to serve on jury duty.
The amount of jury duty leave that you must provide will depend on the length of the jury duty assignment. For example, if an employee is summoned for a short-term jury duty assignment, typically lasting a few days or a week, the employer must provide leave and pay the employee’s regular wages for that period. However, if the jury duty assignment extends for a longer duration, such as several weeks or months, the employer may be able to require the employee to use their accrued paid leave or take unpaid leave.
Finally, employees who are called for jury duty are also entitled to certain benefits under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. These benefits include the right to be excused from work, the right to return to their former job after serving on jury duty, and the right to regain their former seniority, benefits, and pay.
Voting leave
According to the Texas Election Code, employees are allowed up to two hours of time off, without deduction from pay or leave time accrued, to vote in each national, state, or local election.
This means that employees can take up to two hours off from work to vote, without having to use their paid or accrued leave time. You cannot deduct this time off from the employee’s pay. However, Texas law does not require employers to allow employees to vote during their scheduled working hours. This means that if the polls are open for three or more hours before or after the employee’s scheduled working hours, then you do not have to offer them time off to vote.
This law applies to all employers in Texas, regardless of their size.
Read more on the most important employment laws in Texas to ensure compliance.
What holidays do Texas state employees get off?
The holidays that Texas state employees get off can vary from one agency or department to another. However, the Texas Government Code specifies a standard list of holidays that state employers commonly observe.
Specifically, government and state employers must offer a paid day off on the following state holidays 2025 in Texas:
- Confederate Heroes Day
- Texas Independence Day
- San Jacinto Day
- Emancipation Day
- Good Friday
In addition, government and state employers must also offer a paid day off on the following federal holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Cesar Chavez Day is an optional holiday for Texas state employees. State employers do not have to pay employees who choose to observe Cesar Chavez Day, but they must allow them to take the day off without using any of their accrued leave. In addition, state employees can take Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah in lieu of any of the above state holidays. Download Texas state holiday PDF for the fiscal year of 2025.
Why do state employees get extra state holidays?
The rationale behind providing additional state holidays to government and public sector employees is to acknowledge and commemorate significant events, historical milestones, or cultural celebrations that hold particular importance to the state or local community. These additional holidays reflect the diverse heritage, traditions, and values of the people of Texas.
Moreover, government and public sector employees often provide essential services and play crucial roles in serving the public interest. Granting them additional holidays allows for well-deserved rest and recognition of their contributions to the community.
Are paid holidays mandatory in Texas?
As we saw above, there are no specific laws in the state of Texas that relate to paid leave for private-sector employees. Despite this fact, many private employers choose to offer these benefits as part of their employee compensation packages. Some employers may offer a set number of days of paid leave for each type of leave, while other employers may offer unlimited PTO or a flexible time off policy.
Common paid leave benefits offered to private sector employees include:
- State holidays: Many employers in Texas offer their employees paid time off for certain holidays, such as New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
- Sick leave: Some employers in Texas offer their employees paid sick leave, which allows employees to take time off from work for certain reasons, such as illness, doctor’s appointments, or to care for a sick family member.
- Vacation leave: Many employers in Texas offer their employees paid vacation leave, which allows employees to take time off from work for non-work-related reasons, such as to travel or to spend time with family.
What about state employees?
If you are a government or state employer in Texas, you must pay your employees for certain holidays.
This includes:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents’ Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
You might also choose to offer a paid day off for the Friday after Thanksgiving.
The number of paid holidays that state employees in Texas receive each year might also vary depending on their job classification. For example, exempt state employees typically receive more paid holidays than non-exempt state employees.
Moreover, if you require eligible state employees to work on national or state holidays, you must offer them compensatory time off within the following 12 months. In addition, if these employees work schedules other than Monday through Friday, you must also offer compensatory time off. This is calculated as eight hours of holiday leave multiplied by the number of national and state holidays in a fiscal year.
Facilitate PTO and employee time tracking year-round
Managing paid time off (PTO) and employee time tracking can be a complex task for employers, especially when it comes to navigating the specific holidays observed in Texas. To streamline this process and ensure the seamless management of PTO, employers can turn to Factorial’s comprehensive HR software.
Factorial’s software offers a range of features specifically designed to simplify PTO management and employee time tracking for all Texas state holidays 2025 and beyond. With Factorial, employers can effortlessly handle the following:
- Holiday calendar. Factorial provides an easily accessible holiday calendar that includes all Texas state holidays 2025. This helps you stay informed about upcoming holidays so that you can plan accordingly.
- PTO requests and approvals. Employees can conveniently request PTO for Texas state holidays 2025 through the software’s leave management system. Employers can also approve or deny all types of time off requests through the system, maintaining a transparent and streamlined process.
- Time tracking. Factorial’s time tracking feature enables accurate recording of employee work hours, ensuring compliance with labor laws, overtime tracking, and proper compensation for employees working on holidays.
- PTO accrual and balances. The software automatically calculates and updates PTO accruals and balances, making it easier for employers to keep track of employee leave entitlements and ensure accurate compensation.
- Reporting and analytics. Employers can access comprehensive reports and analytics on PTO usage, employee attendance, and holiday trends, allowing for data-driven decision-making and resource planning.
Factorial’s user-friendly interface and powerful features make PTO and employee time tracking a breeze for employers in Texas. By using this software, employers can effectively manage all Texas state holidays 2025, ensure labor law compliance, and foster a positive work-life balance for their employees.
