University of Wisconsin–Madison

Paid Leave

Legal Holidays

2023 Observance Date 2022 Observance Date Legal Holiday Annual Observance Date
Monday, January 2** Saturday, January 1 New Year’s Day January 1
Monday, January 16 Monday, January 17 MLK Day Third Monday in January
Monday, May 29 Monday, May 30 Memorial Day Last Monday in May
Tuesday, July 4 Monday, July 4 Independence Day July 4
Monday, September 4 Monday, September 5 Labor Day First Monday in September
Thursday, November 23 Thursday, November 24 Thanksgiving Fourth Thursday in November
Sunday, December 24* Saturday, December 24* Christmas Eve December 24
Monday, December 25 Monday, December 26** Christmas December 25
Sunday, December 31* Saturday, December 31* New Year’s Eve December 31

*Eligible employees are granted eight hours of floating legal holiday (prorated for part-time) when: (a) a legal holiday falls on a Saturday or (b) a legal holiday falls on a Sunday and the following Monday is also a legal holiday.
**When a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the legal holiday is observed and UW–Madison is closed on the Monday following the legal holiday.

Due to varying business needs throughout UW, some employees may be required to work on a legal holiday. Employees who are required to work on a legal holiday, or if the legal holiday is on an employee’s regularly scheduled day off, will be granted a floating legal holiday.