SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/work-paid-vacation-not-federal-law

Does federal law make your employer give you paid vacation days?

No. Paid vacation is up to you and your employer.

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  1. Yes, two weeks every year
  2. Yes, after one full year on the job
  3. No, it's up to you and your employer ✔

Why: The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require pay for time not worked, such as vacations. Paid vacation is a benefit you agree on with your employer, so ask before you take a job. Some states and cities add their own leave rules.

Huh, didn't know that: The same federal law doesn't require holiday, severance or sick pay either.

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References

Answer: No, it's up to you and your employer. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require pay for time not worked, such as vacations. Paid vacation is a benefit you agree on with your employer, so ask before you take a job. Some states and cities add their own leave rules.

  1. US Department of Labor: Vacation Leave www.dol.gov/general/topic/benefits-leave/vacation_leave
    The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. US Department of Labor: Leave Benefits www.dol.gov/general/topic/benefits-leave
    Vacation, holiday, severance, or sick pay
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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