floating holiday

American  

[floh-ting hol-i-dey] / ˈfloʊ tɪŋ ˈhɒl ɪˌdeɪ /

noun

1. a day off with pay, usually one of a certain number allotted annually by the employer, that can be taken by an employee on a day of their choice in addition to or in lieu of any of the standard paid public holidays.

   He used one of his floating holidays to take the day off for Eid.

   We provide sick time, vacation time, floating holidays, and several paid holidays.

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Etymology

Origin of floating holiday

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Additional states, including California, offer Juneteenth as a floating holiday option.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

“I had to put the corporate hat on and I would say, ‘Chevron does provide a floating holiday so if it’s important to you, you can take it off,’ ” Jourdan said.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2021

In exchange, thousands of civilian city employees would receive a new floating holiday for the fiscal year that ends on June 30, according to the proposal.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 5, 2020

The most recent effort to get rid of the holiday was in 2013, when state lawmakers considered a measure to allow business to designate state holidays like Victory Day as a floating holiday for employees.

From Washington Times • Aug. 13, 2018

If you're a business owner, this could mean giving veterans a paid day off that is not counted as a floating holiday.

From US News • Nov. 11, 2015