For covered federal employees, 5 U.S.C. 5546 provides Sunday and holiday premium pay under specified conditions. Sunday work and holiday work have different rules. Neither provision means every employee receives premium pay merely because the calendar shows a weekend or federal holiday. [1]
Rules that determine the answer
Qualifying regularly scheduled nonovertime Sunday duty generally earns a twenty-five-percent premium. Qualifying nonovertime holiday duty generally earns basic pay plus an equal premium, and required holiday work has a two-hour minimum under the statute. Overtime, alternative schedules, coverage exclusions, and premium-pay limitations require separate review. [1] [2]
Paid leave generally is not actual Sunday work for this premium. Employees under special statutory pay systems should check those rules before applying the standard title 5 calculation.
What to check before taking the next step
- Ask payroll to identify your pay system, scheduled tour, actual hours worked, and the premium-pay authority applied.
- Collect timecards, duty rosters, leave records, pay statements, and the holiday designation.
A distinction that changes the result
For Sunday premium pay, the statute concerns a regularly scheduled period of service with qualifying Sunday hours, not simply overtime that happens to fall on Sunday. Holiday overtime is paid under the applicable overtime authority rather than the nonovertime holiday premium provision. Night premiums can coexist where the statutory conditions are met. A payroll review should therefore classify each block as basic hours, nonovertime Sunday or holiday duty, overtime, or nightwork before calculating the total. The employee’s work schedule and statutory coverage may change that calculation. [1] [2]
Practical example
A covered employee works eight qualifying Sunday hours at a $30 basic hourly rate. A twenty-five-percent Sunday premium is $7.50 per qualifying hour; that illustration does not calculate overtime or an annual pay cap.
For related situations, see on-call pay for salaried employees and special federal salary rates.
Primary sources
Sources checked: October 31, 2026.