Do remote workers from India have to take time off for US holidays?

No. Workers in India are not required to take US holidays. November 26 (Thanksgiving), December 25 (Christmas), or January 1 (New Year's) are regular work days in India unless you specifically schedule time off. Many US companies give remote workers flexibility to take these days if desired but don't mandate it. Clear holiday policies prevent confusion—discuss expectations during hiring.

Should you pay remote workers for US holidays they don't work?

This varies by company. Some companies pay remote workers for US holidays even though they don't observe them, treating it as company culture inclusion. Others pay only for local holidays in the worker's home country. Many companies don't pay holiday premiums but offer flexible vacation days instead. Clarify holiday pay policies during hiring to avoid misunderstanding.

What about local holidays in India and Philippines—do you need to give workers those days off?

Yes, you should respect local holidays in India and Philippines. Workers need time off for local holidays like Diwali, Holi, Independence Day in India, or Filipino holidays. Respecting local holidays is part of employing people in those countries. Build local holiday calendars into your planning and budget for this time off.

How do you ensure coverage during US holidays when most of your team is remote?

Plan in advance. Discuss holiday schedules during hiring. Some workers may be willing to work US holidays in exchange for local holiday time. Stagger schedules so some team members cover while others take time off. Use async communication and documentation for non-urgent matters. For mission-critical roles, hire multiple people so you can rotate coverage.

Can you require remote workers to work US holidays?

Not typically. If you want workers to work specific days, this should be discussed and agreed upon during hiring. Paying premium rates (1.5–2x normal pay) for working holidays is fair. However, requiring US holidays without compensation or advance agreement creates retention risk. Treat holiday expectations as serious items to discuss and document.

How far in advance should you plan around holidays?

Plan at least 2–3 months ahead. Identify major holiday periods, communicate expected coverage needs, and adjust timelines for projects accordingly. For mission-critical coverage, plan 6+ months ahead. During planning, be explicit: 'We need some team members available during Thanksgiving' is better than surprises when holidays arrive.

Should you ask remote workers to work evenings or weekends to cover US holidays?

Avoid this if possible. Asking workers to work weekends or shift their normal schedule without premium compensation creates burnout and retention problems. If you need coverage, pay premium rates and get agreement in advance. Most workers will accept working US holidays for 1.5–2x pay, but this needs to be negotiated explicitly.

How Do Remote Teams Handle US Holidays?

Remote workers from India and Philippines don't automatically observe US holidays since they're working in their home countries where those days are regular work days. F5 Hiring Solutions recommends addressing holiday policies explicitly during hiring—clarify expectations around US holidays, respect local holidays in their countries, plan coverage in advance, and compensate appropriately for work on holidays. Transparent holiday policies prevent surprises and keep remote teams productive and satisfied.

Understanding Holiday Differences

The fundamental issue is that remote workers from India and Philippines operate in different holiday calendars than US companies:

US Holiday Calendar: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day—these are major US holidays where many US businesses are closed and employees expect time off.

India Holiday Calendar: Diwali, Holi, Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti—these are major Indian holidays. Dates vary annually based on lunar calendar for some holidays.

Philippines Holiday Calendar: Araw ng Kagitingan, EDSA Revolution Anniversary, Independence Day—these are major Philippine holidays. Some dates vary annually.

These calendars don't overlap. November 26, 2022 was Thanksgiving in the US but a regular Friday in India. December 25 was Christmas in the US but a regular Monday in India. From India's perspective, December 25 is just another work day unless explicitly given time off by their employer (F5 Hiring Solutions).

This creates a question: Should remote workers from other countries take US holidays off? The answer depends on your company policy and working arrangement.

Holiday Policy Options

Different companies handle remote team holidays differently:

Option 1: Workers Observe Local Holidays Only Remote workers take their own country's holidays off. US employees take US holidays off. Everyone respects the other country's major holidays out of professional courtesy but doesn't observe them as paid time off. This approach is straightforward and fair—people take the holidays that matter in their location.

Option 2: Flexible Floating Holidays Instead of assigning specific holidays, give all workers a fixed number of vacation days (e.g., 20 days/year) that they can use for any holiday—US, Indian, Philippine, or just vacation. This approach respects that different people value different holidays and gives autonomy in choosing when to take time off.

Option 3: All-Inclusive Holiday Observance Some companies pay for both US and local holidays. Workers get Thanksgiving off (even though they're in India), plus they get Diwali off (even though the company is in the US). This approach treats holidays as company culture values rather than location-based. However, this can get complex managing overlapping calendars.

Option 4: Working Holidays with Premium Pay Ask remote workers to work US holidays (or vice versa) in exchange for premium compensation (1.5–2x normal pay) plus later paid time off for local holidays. This approach recognizes the value of coverage while compensating workers for working outside normal schedules.

F5 Hiring Solutions recommends being explicit about whichever approach you choose. Document your policy, communicate it during hiring, and be consistent in applying it.

Planning Around Holidays

Effective remote team management requires proactive holiday planning:

Create Master Holiday Calendar: Identify all major US holidays, Indian holidays, and Philippine holidays your team observes. Mark these on a shared calendar 6–12 months in advance. This gives everyone visibility into potential coverage gaps.

Communicate Holiday Expectations Early: During hiring, discuss holidays explicitly. "We observe US holidays. You'll have Thanksgiving and Christmas off even though you're in India" or "We respect local holidays. You'll have Diwali and Holi off, and we'll plan around them."

Plan Project Timelines Around Holidays: When planning projects, account for major holidays. If key team members will be unavailable during peak season, plan accordingly. Don't launch critical projects during holiday weeks.

Stagger Holiday Coverage: For mission-critical roles, stagger who takes time off. Maybe some team members work a holiday while others take time off, then reverse for other holidays. Document this clearly so everyone knows expectations.

Establish Backup Coverage: For customer-facing or critical functions, ensure coverage during key holidays. This might mean paying premium rates for workers willing to work holidays, or hiring team members in different locations for redundancy.

Document Everything: Put holiday policies in writing. Include which holidays are paid, how premium pay works, notice periods for scheduling time off, and how this differs for different team members if it does.

Managing Holiday Gaps

Some holidays create more coverage challenges than others:

Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year (US): These consecutive holidays can create 1–3 week gaps where no US employees are available. Plan by having some remote workers continue normal schedules (they're not observing US holidays), or negotiate premium pay for remote workers willing to work these weeks.

Diwali (India, October/November): If multiple India-based workers celebrate, plan for staggered time off. Some workers take Diwali, others cover, then vice versa for other holidays.

Independence Day (India, August 15): Major Indian holiday. Plan project timelines to avoid critical deadlines around this date.

Local Religious/Cultural Holidays: Respect that some holidays are religiously significant. Workers may request these as unpaid time off or negotiate them into their benefits.

For most companies, holiday gaps are manageable with advance planning. The key is anticipating holidays early and building them into project timelines.

Compensation for Holiday Work

If you ask remote workers to work on holidays, compensate appropriately:

Premium Pay Rate: Standard practice is 1.5–2x normal pay for working holidays. If a worker normally earns $600/week, offer $900–$1,200/week for working holidays.

Comp Time Off: Instead of additional pay, give additional paid time off. If a worker works Thanksgiving, they get an extra day off later with normal pay. This can be preferable for some workers.

Combination Approach: Some workers prefer extra pay plus comp time. Negotiate individually based on preferences.

Advance Agreement: Never surprise workers with holiday work. Discuss and agree in advance. Last-minute requests to work holidays create resentment and retention risk.

F5 Hiring Solutions includes holiday management discussions as part of hiring. If your role requires holiday coverage, F5 identifies workers willing to work with the compensation structure you offer.

Holiday Comparison: Different Countries

Holiday Type	US Holidays	India Holidays	Philippines Holidays	Coverage Strategy
New Year (Jan 1)	Major US holiday—offices closed	Regular work day in most of India	Major PH holiday—offices closed	US off, India works, PH off. Plan for coverage gaps.
Independence Days (July 4 US, Aug 15 India, Jun 12 PH)	Major US holiday—offices closed	Major India holiday—offices closed	Major PH holiday—offices closed	Staggered coverage, respect each country's holiday
Thanksgiving (Nov 26 US only)	Major US holiday—offices closed	Regular work day	Regular work day	US off, India/PH can cover if paid premium
Christmas (Dec 25)	Major US holiday—offices closed	Regular work day (some Christians observe)	Major PH holiday (Christian country)	US/PH off, India can cover if paid premium
Diwali (Oct/Nov India only)	Regular work day	Major India holiday—offices closed	Regular work day	India off, US/PH can cover normal schedule
Holi (Feb/Mar India only)	Regular work day	Major India holiday—offices closed	Regular work day	India off, US/PH continue normal schedule
Memorial Day (May 31 US only)	Major US holiday—offices closed	Regular work day	Regular work day	US off, India/PH continue normal schedule
Labor Day (Sept 6 US only)	Major US holiday—offices closed	Regular work day	Regular work day	US off, India/PH continue normal schedule

FAQ

Q: Should you give remote workers paid time off for US holidays they don't celebrate? A: It depends on company culture and policy. Some companies do (treating it as shared company culture), others don't (respecting that holidays are location-based). The key is being explicit and consistent. If you don't pay for US holidays, you should respect local holidays more generously.

Q: What if a worker wants Thanksgiving off even though they're in India? A: That's reasonable. If they're part of your company culture and want to observe US holidays, allow it as part of their vacation days. Or negotiate it as part of their benefits package. Flexibility here builds loyalty.

Q: How do you prevent everyone requesting time off around holidays? A: For critical roles, establish rotation systems in advance. "During Thanksgiving week, Group A works, Group B takes time off. During Diwali, roles reverse." For non-critical roles, first-come-first-served or lottery systems work. The key is planning well in advance, not reacting when holidays arrive.

Q: Can you require remote workers to work Saturdays/Sundays during holidays to compensate? A: Not without significant premium compensation (2–3x pay) and advance agreement. Asking workers to work weekends without negotiation creates burnout and retention problems. If you need weekend coverage, pay appropriately and get willing workers.

Q: How do you handle religious holidays that are important to individuals but not national holidays? A: Many companies allow one or two "floating" personal days for religious/cultural observances. Workers can use these for holidays important to them personally. This respects diversity without needing to recognize every possible holiday.

Q: What if most of your team wants the same holiday off? A: Plan for it. If most India-based team members celebrate Diwali, assume they'll want that time off. Plan projects and coverage accordingly. For non-mission-critical work, just let everyone have the holiday. For critical roles, negotiate with some people willing to work for premium pay.

Q: Should you pay differently on holidays versus regular days? A: If workers are working holidays, yes—pay premium rates (1.5–2x). If workers are taking holidays off as paid time, treat it the same as vacation (regular pay). Only charge premium rates if someone is actually working when they'd normally have time off.

Conclusion

Remote teams in different countries require explicit holiday policies that respect each location's holidays while ensuring coverage for your business needs. Remote workers from India and Philippines don't automatically observe US holidays since they're working in their home countries. F5 Hiring Solutions addresses this by discussing holiday expectations during hiring, respecting local holidays in their locations, and paying appropriately for work on holidays.

Transparency around holidays prevents surprises and builds trust. Clear holiday policies make international remote teams function smoothly while respecting cultural and local differences.

Learn how F5 Hiring Solutions manages international teams, explore best practices from 250+ client companies, and start building culturally diverse remote teams with clear holiday policies.