Is César Chávez Day a Federal Holiday? No — March 31, 2027
No, César Chávez Day is not a federal holiday: 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) lists 11 legal public holidays and César Chávez Day is not one of them. César Chávez Day 2027 is Wednesday, March 31, 2027. Presidents have issued proclamations for the day (listed below); neither 6103(a) nor OPM's tables list it.
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Maintained by Archie Chang · Federal sources checked November 1, 2026 · Methodology & sources
All dates for the year: federal holidays 2027. To check any other day, use the federal holiday checker.
The law: what 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) says about César Chávez Day
5 U.S.C. 6103(a), quoted below, lists the legal public holidays. There are 11, and César Chávez Day is not one of them. OPM's federal holidays tables for 2026 through 2030 have no row for César Chávez Day either.
(a) The following are legal public holidays: New Year's Day, January 1. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January. Washington's Birthday, the third Monday in February. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May. Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19. Independence Day, July 4. Labor Day, the first Monday in September. Columbus Day, the second Monday in October. Veterans Day, November 11. Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November. Christmas Day, December 25.
Presidential proclamations have named César Chávez Day. The proclamation published April 3, 2024 reads as follows; the table in the section on proclamations lists every proclamation our Federal Register searches found.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as César Chávez Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day as a day of service and learning with appropriate service, community, and education programs to honor César E. Chávez's enduring legacy.
Source: 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo), OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables)
Who gets the day off on César Chávez Day 2027
César Chávez Day is not a legal public holiday, so it does not change a federal employee's holiday schedule. The table shows what the Federal Reserve, USPS, NYSE and SIFMA lists say for Wednesday, March 31, 2027; each row names its source.
OPM's rule for a holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday, quoted below, applies to legal public holidays. César Chávez Day is not in 6103(a) or in OPM's tables, so the rule does not apply to it.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, for most Federal employees, the preceding Friday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5 U.S.C. 6103(b).) If a holiday falls on a Sunday, for most Federal employees, the following Monday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See Section 3(a) of Executive Order 11582, February 11, 1971.)
| Who | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Federal offices and agencies | Normal schedule (no holiday listed) | César Chávez Day is not in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) and has no row in OPM's holiday tables, so it does not make Wednesday, March 31, 2027 a federal holiday.Source: OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables), 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo) |
| Federal Reserve Banks | Normal schedule (no holiday listed) | Neither the Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedule nor the Board's K.8 table lists a holiday on Wednesday, March 31, 2027, so Federal Reserve Banks keep their normal schedule. Whether a bank or credit union branch is open is up to each bank: each bank sets its own hours, so check with yours.Source: Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules, Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8) |
| USPS Post Offices and delivery | Normal schedule (no holiday listed) | Not a USPS holiday: regular delivery runs. This date is not on the USPS holiday list. USPS says: “Regular mail delivery occurs Monday through Saturday, with the exception of postal holidays.” Hours vary by location. Confirm local Post Office hours with USPS.Source: USPS: holidays and events, USPS FAQ: No mail delivery? |
| Stock market (NYSE) | Normal schedule (no holiday listed) | NYSE's holiday list does not list Wednesday, March 31, 2027 as a closure. This page covers NYSE; check your exchange or broker for its own calendar.Source: NYSE: holidays and trading hours |
| Bond market (SIFMA recommendation) | Normal schedule (no holiday listed) | SIFMA's U.S. holiday schedule does not list Wednesday, March 31, 2027 as a closure.Source: SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule |
Source: OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables), Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules, Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8), USPS: holidays and events, NYSE: holidays and trading hours, SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule
To check another day, use the bank holiday checker, Post Office holiday checker or the stock market holidays list.
Private employers and holiday pay
Federal holiday law covers federal employees, and César Chávez Day is not on its list. Whether a private employer gives César Chávez Day off or pays for it is generally a matter of agreement. The U.S. Department of Labor says this about holiday pay, and about government contracts:
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays (federal or otherwise). These benefits are generally a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employee's representative).
On a government contract to which the labor standards of the McNamara O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) apply, holiday and/or vacation fringe benefit requirements are stated in the SCA wage determinations in contracts that exceed $2,500. On a government contract to which the labor standards of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply, holiday pay and/or vacation pay is required for specific classifications of workers only if the Davis-Bacon wage determination in the covered contract specifies such requirements for workers employed in those classifications.
Federal premium pay for holiday work, quoted below, applies to work on a holiday designated by Federal statute, Executive order, or (for District of Columbia government employees) by order of the District of Columbia Council. César Chávez Day is not in 6103(a) or OPM's tables; ask your HR office which pay rules apply to your schedule.
(b) An employee who performs work on a holiday designated by Federal statute, Executive order, or with respect to an employee of the government of the District of Columbia, by order of the District of Columbia Council, is entitled to pay at the rate of his basic pay, plus premium pay at a rate equal to the rate of his basic pay, for that holiday work which is not— (1) in excess of 8 hours; or (2) overtime work as defined by section 5542(a) of this title.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor: Holiday Pay, 5 U.S.C. 5546: Pay for Sunday and holiday work (GovInfo)
Pay periods and pay dates: 2027 federal pay period calendar.
César Chávez Day dates, 2027 to 2030
César Chávez Day is a fixed calendar date, March 31. The table gives the weekday of that date for each year; the weekdays are computed and the rows are labeled as such.
| Year | César Chávez Day | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Wednesday, March 31, 2027 | Fixed calendar date, March 31; the weekday is computed |
| 2028 | Friday, March 31, 2028 | Fixed calendar date, March 31; the weekday is computed |
| 2029 | Saturday, March 31, 2029 | Fixed calendar date, March 31; the weekday is computed |
| 2030 | Sunday, March 31, 2030 | Fixed calendar date, March 31; the weekday is computed |
Source: OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables), NYSE: holidays and trading hours
Presidential proclamations for César Chávez Day
When we searched federalregister.gov on November 1, 2026 for presidential proclamations containing the exact phrase “Cesar Chavez Day”, it returned five, for 2010 through 2014. The exact phrase “César Chávez Day” returned six, for 2015, 2016 and 2021 through 2024. The table lists all eleven; the newest of the eleven was published April 3, 2024. We make no statement about years the searches did not return.
A proclamation that calls on Americans to observe a day is a different document from the 6103(a) list of legal public holidays, which does not include the day. This page makes no statement about state, city or school calendars.
| Published | Title | Document number | Federal Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-04-05 | Cesar Chavez Day, 2010 | 2010-7784 | 75 FR 17025 |
| 2011-04-04 | Cesar Chavez Day, 2011 | 2011-8128 | 76 FR 18629 |
| 2012-03-28 | Cesar Chavez Day, 2012 | 2012-7639 | 77 FR 18895 |
| 2013-04-04 | Cesar Chavez Day, 2013 | 2013-07925 | 78 FR 20223 |
| 2014-04-03 | Cesar Chavez Day, 2014 | 2014-07644 | 79 FR 18763 |
| 2015-04-02 | César Chávez Day, 2015 | 2015-07783 | 80 FR 18073 |
| 2016-04-04 | César Chávez Day, 2016 | 2016-07852 | 81 FR 19465 |
| 2021-04-05 | César Chávez Day, 2021 | 2021-07054 | 86 FR 17493 |
| 2022-04-01 | César Chávez Day, 2022 | 2022-07134 | 87 FR 19347 |
| 2023-04-04 | César Chávez Day, 2023 | 2023-07088 | 88 FR 19797 |
| 2024-04-03 | César Chávez Day, 2024 | 2024-07196 | 89 FR 22899 |
More federal holiday questions
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- Is Flag Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is St. Patrick's Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Cinco de Mayo a Federal Holiday?
- Is Patriots' Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is New Year's Eve a Federal Holiday?
- Is the Day After Christmas a Federal Holiday?
- Is MLK Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Presidents Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Juneteenth a Federal Holiday?
- Is Columbus Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Good Friday a Federal Holiday?
- Is Easter a Federal Holiday?
- Is Easter Monday a Federal Holiday?
- Is Veterans Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Black Friday a Federal Holiday?
- Is Christmas Eve a Federal Holiday?
Questions
Do federal employees get César Chávez Day off?
No, not as a holiday. 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) does not list César Chávez Day and OPM's holiday tables have no row for it, so César Chávez Day is not a legal public holiday for federal employees. Ask your agency about your own schedule and leave.
Is the post office open on César Chávez Day 2027?
Not a USPS holiday: regular delivery runs. This date is not on the USPS holiday list. USPS says: “Regular mail delivery occurs Monday through Saturday, with the exception of postal holidays.” Hours vary by location. Confirm local Post Office hours with USPS.
Is the stock market open on César Chávez Day 2027?
Yes. NYSE's holiday list does not list Wednesday, March 31, 2027 as a closure. This page covers NYSE; check your exchange or broker for its own calendar. SIFMA's U.S. holiday schedule does not list Wednesday, March 31, 2027 as a closure.
Are Federal Reserve Banks closed on César Chávez Day 2027?
Neither the Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedule nor the Board's K.8 table lists a holiday on Wednesday, March 31, 2027, so Federal Reserve Banks keep their normal schedule. Whether a bank or credit union branch is open is up to each bank: each bank sets its own hours, so check with yours.
Do private employers have to give César Chávez Day off?
Not under federal law for most private employers. Federal holidays bind federal employees, not private employers. The Department of Labor says: "The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays (federal or otherwise)." On government contracts the rules can differ, and DOL says: "On a government contract to which the labor standards of the McNamara O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) apply, holiday and/or vacation fringe benefit requirements are stated in the SCA wage determinations in contracts that exceed $2,500." The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts can require holiday pay the same way, for specific classifications of workers and only if the wage determination specifies it. Check your employer and state law.
Has a President proclaimed César Chávez Day?
Yes. The Federal Register has presidential proclamations titled Cesar Chavez Day or César Chávez Day for 2010 through 2016 and 2021 through 2024, the years our November 1, 2026 searches returned. The 2024 proclamation says “I call upon all Americans to observe this day as a day of service and learning …”. A proclamation is not an entry in the 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) list.
Do federal employees get extra pay for working on César Chávez Day?
No, not as holiday premium pay. 5 U.S.C. 5546(b) applies to work on a holiday designated by Federal statute, Executive order, or (for District of Columbia government employees) by order of the District of Columbia Council, and César Chávez Day is not in 6103(a) or in OPM's holiday tables. Your agency and pay system decide how pay rules apply to your schedule, so ask your HR office.
Sources: 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo) · 5 U.S.C. 5546: Pay for Sunday and holiday work (GovInfo) · OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables) · U.S. Department of Labor: Holiday Pay · Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules · Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8) · USPS: holidays and events · USPS FAQ: No mail delivery? · NYSE: holidays and trading hours · SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule · Federal Register: presidential proclamations