2026 Public & Federal Holidays in California
Essential Dates for Job Seekers, Recruiters, and Employers
As we look ahead to 2026, understanding the holiday calendar is crucial for success, whether you’re a healthcare organization trying to maintain optimal staffing levels or a virtual assistant managing client schedules across time zones.
For the community here at De Vore Recruiting-from job seekers planning valuable time off to recruiters managing candidate availability-this guide outlines all the declared public and federal holidays in California for 2026, highlighting long weekends. These dates include both federal public holidays and California state-recognized holidays that often mean closures or reduced hours for many businesses and government offices.
Skip ahead to a month: January | February | March | May | July | September | November | December
| Date | Day | Holiday Name | Type | Long Weekend? | Impact on Recruiting & Hiring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Federal & CA State | ❌ | Low activity; good time to schedule postings and outreach after the holiday. |
| January 19, 2026 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal & CA State | ✅ | Moderate candidate engagement; good for virtual job postings and follow-ups. |
| February 16, 2026 | Monday | Presidents’ Day | Federal & CA State | ✅ | Higher online activity; ideal for promoting remote and virtual assistant roles. |
| March 31, 2026 | Tuesday | César Chávez Day | CA State | ❌ | Some state offices closed; private sector hiring mostly unaffected. |
| May 25, 2026 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal & CA State | ✅ | Lower interview availability; strong window for employer branding campaigns. |
| June 19, 2026 | Friday | Juneteenth National Independence Day | Federal & CA State | ✅ | Long weekend may slow interviews; ideal for posting roles and prepping outreach. |
| July 3, 2026 | Friday | Independence Day | Federal | ✅ | Short hiring slowdown; applications reviewed the following week. |
| September 7, 2026 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal & CA State | ✅ | Strong timing to launch fall hiring and healthcare staffing campaigns. |
| October 12, 2026 | Monday | Columbus Day | Federal | ✅ | Interview availability may vary; confirm schedules in advance. |
| November 11, 2026 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Federal & CA State | ❌ | Partial closures; suitable for candidate communications later in the week. |
| November 26, 2026 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal & CA State | ❌ | Very low activity; avoid interviews and time-sensitive offers. |
| November 27, 2026 | Friday | Day After Thanksgiving | CA State | ✅ | Good time for job postings, but expect delayed responses. |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal & CA State | ❌ | Hiring pauses; prep January pipelines and job ads. |
For Healthcare Recruiters & Employers: Managing Critical Staffing
In the healthcare industry, holidays are not days off-they are days requiring careful planning and often premium pay.
- Anticipate the Long Weekend Effect: Every holiday falling on a Monday (MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day) or a Friday (Juneteenth, Independence Day Observed, Christmas Day) will increase demand for PTO on the adjacent non-holiday day (e.g., taking Friday off before a Monday holiday).
- Target Your Recruiting: Use the knowledge of these long weekends to structure your recruiting campaigns. Highlight work-life balance and time off when advertising roles, especially for nurses and allied health professionals.
- The November Crunch: Veterans Day (Wednesday), Thanksgiving (Thursday), and the Day after Thanksgiving (Friday) create the toughest scheduling stretch of the year. Ensure your staffing models account for the high cost and low availability during this week.
For Virtual Assistants & Job Seekers: Maximizing Time & Productivity
For job seekers and virtual assistants, the 2026 holiday calendar is a roadmap for efficient work and much-needed rest.
- Strategic Paid Time Off (PTO): Leverage the six scheduled 3-day weekends (MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, and Labor Day) for personal time or travel without dipping into valuable PTO or vacation banks.
- The Mid-Week Challenge: Holidays like New Year’s Day (Thursday), Cesar Chavez Day (Tuesday), and Veterans Day (Wednesday) require strategic use of a single PTO day to create a 4-day break. Plan this early!
- VA Productivity: If you are a VA serving California-based clients, assume your client will be offline on all the listed holidays. This is a great opportunity to catch up on administrative tasks or take online courses.
Ready to find a role that respects your time off, or a professional who can handle your schedule? De Vore Recruiting is your resource for connecting skilled virtual assistants and top-tier healthcare staffing services with leading opportunities.