Don’t go downing the spiked eggnog quite yet, Ohioans.
With the winter holiday season in full swing, teenage cashiers and 50-year-old cubicle dwellers alike tend to be eagerly awaiting one thing – at least a couple days of guaranteed time off. Be it to travel across the country, attend a few festive parties or relax with family, employees of all ages seem to agree that time away from work just might be the gift that keeps on giving.
The only downside? That time off isn’t exactly guaranteed.
Whether you’re a barista, engineer, professor or anything in between, here’s what you need to know about Ohio’s work requirements for Christmas, New Year’s Day and all other holidays.
Can my boss make me work Christmas?
In Ohio, and most other states for that matter, there is no law prohibiting private employers from requiring their employees to work on Christmas, among other holidays. The only states with specific laws restricting businesses from requiring employees to work on holidays are Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Though Christmas Day is on the list of official state holidays for Ohio, that entitles only public-sector workers – or state employees – to time off, not those in the private sector.
If a state employee is required to work on a holiday, they are entitled to overtime pay or compensatory time, according to the Ohio Revised Code. This includes state troopers, emp;loyees at state universities, health care workers at state hospitals and any other employee whose wages are paid in whole or in part by the state of Ohio.
So, unless restricted by a union contract, employment agreement or company policy, your boss can legally make you work Christmas.
Of course, there is one other nationwide exception that could come into play.
What about religious holidays?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 says employers must give “reasonable accommodation” for employees’ religious beliefs, unless doing so would cause “undue hardship” on the business.
The U.S. Supreme Court clarified a couple years ago in Groff v. DeJoy that the standard for requiring an employee to work on a religious holiday they observe is higher than just “undue hardship.” Employers have to accommodate religious practices unless doing so would cause a “substantial burden” on the business.
So while you’re not automatically exempt from working Christmas if you’re Christian, for example, your boss must seriously consider your request for the day off or work to find another accommodation.
Do I have to get extra pay for working holidays?
You might hear some businesses offer “time-and-a-half” to employees who work holidays. But there’s no legal requirement to do so.
Ohio does not require private employers to pay extra for work done on holidays. This is because pay requirements are governed at the federal level by the Fair Labor Standards Act, which does not require extra holiday pay unless an employee exceeds 40 hours a week and triggers overtime.
Are there legal limits on business hours during holidays?
At one point in the not-too-distant past, the Buckeye State had restrictions on retail operations during Sundays and holidays.
Commonly referred to as “blue laws,” these provisions meant certain holidays were treated as mandatory closure days for most Ohio retailers. By the 2000s, though, those laws had been almost entirely repealed, and the current Ohio Revised Code does not restrict retail operations on holidays.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday? Do state employees in Ohio get the day off?
As for government employees, President Donald Trump has ordered two extra days off for those workers in 2025, including Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. State employees, however, may not get the same break.
In a Dec. 18 executive order signed by Trump, all executive departments and agencies will be closed on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26, the days before and after Christmas. While most federal workers will have an extended break, the extra days may not extend to state workers and other employees.
Ohio typically follows the federal holiday calendar, but the state had not confirmed extra days off as of Dec. 19.
Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is it legal for your boss to make you work Christmas, other holidays in Ohio?
Reporting by Emma Wozniak, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
