PAID Holidays: Paid Holidays are days for which an eligible employee receives a regular day's pay, but is not required to perform work. New York state does not mandate private employers to provide paid holidays.However, some businesses may require employees to work on holidays. Employers do not have to give employees holiday pay if the employee voluntarily works on the holiday. There are no employment laws that compel your employer to pay a premium for hours worked on a day which is deemed a 'holiday'. Private employers are generally not required to provide paid holidays to nonexempt employees (those entitled to minimum wage and overtime). Most federal employers are required to provide holiday pay. There are also 2 states – Rhode Island and Massachusetts – that have special laws about holiday pay. There are no state or federal laws that mandate holiday pay. This will help your company avoid any potential litigation.