How to Schedule Employees During the Holidays

By Nicole Hullihen, former SaaS Chief Operating Officer and Microsoft MVP · Updated November 1, 2026

The holidays are the hardest scheduling season of the year. Customers want more, employees want time off and the same few days, like Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and the day after Thanksgiving, are requested by almost everyone. Handle it poorly and you get short-staffed shifts, burned-out employees and resentment that lasts into the new year. Handle it well and the busiest season runs smoothly.

This guide walks through holiday scheduling step by step, from forecasting and time-off windows to fair rotations and overtime, with a free holiday schedule template.

Step 1: Forecast Holiday Demand

Start with last year's numbers: sales, customer counts, service calls or bookings for each day from mid-November through early January. Note which days were busier and which were dead. Adjust for changes this year, such as new hours, promotions, events or which weekday each holiday falls on.

Free Holiday Schedule Template

Codes: W = working  |  O = off  |  R = rotation priority  |  C = closed

Step 2: Decide Your Holiday Hours

Decide early which days you'll close, open late or close early. Many small businesses close on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day and run shorter hours on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Announce holiday hours to employees and customers at the same time, so schedules and customer expectations match. See business holidays for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Step 3: Open a Time-Off Request Window

Set a window for holiday time-off requests, such as September 1 to 30, and announce when decisions will be made. Everyone who requests during the window is considered together, so the earliest asker doesn't automatically win. Requests after the window are approved only if coverage allows. See how to handle overlapping PTO requests.

Step 4: Set Limits on Time Off

Decide how many people from each team can be off on each holiday week, based on forecasted demand and minimum staffing. Limits can be tighter on peak days and looser on slow days. Write them down and share them with employees before the request window opens. See minimum staffing levels.

Step 5: Use a Fair Rotation

A rotation is the fairest way to handle the days everyone wants. Track who worked each major holiday last year and give those employees priority for time off this year. Some businesses split teams: one group works Christmas and has New Year's off, and they switch the next year.

Let employees trade holiday shifts with each other, with manager approval, so people with different priorities can work it out.

Step 6: Ask for Volunteers First

Some employees prefer working holidays: people who don't celebrate a particular holiday, students home for break who want extra hours or employees who'd rather have a different day off. Ask for volunteers before assigning holiday shifts. Volunteers make the rotation easier and reduce resentment.

Step 7: Bring in Extra Help

If demand rises during the holidays, plan extra staffing early. Hire seasonal employees by October, offer extra hours to part-timers and bring back former employees who want holiday work. Train seasonal staff before the busiest weeks, not during them. See the seasonal hiring guide.

Step 8: Post Holiday Schedules Early

Employees make holiday travel and family plans weeks ahead. Post holiday schedules four to six weeks in advance when possible, even if a few shifts are still open. Fill open shifts as demand becomes clear. See how far in advance to post schedules.

Holiday Pay and Overtime

The Department of Labor says the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, such as holidays; holiday pay is generally a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Many businesses still offer paid holidays or premium pay for working on a holiday, so follow your written policy and check any state rules. Overtime still applies: non-exempt employees must be paid overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, and longer holiday shifts can push weekly hours over that line. See overtime and holiday pay in the same week and whether part-time workers get holiday pay.

Handling Holiday Call-Outs

Call-outs often rise around the holidays. Prepare an on-call list, ask employees to confirm holiday shifts a few days ahead and make your call-out procedure clear. Some businesses require a doctor's note or additional notice for call-outs on holidays, but check state and local sick leave laws before adding requirements. See how to respond when an employee calls out sick.

Preventing Holiday Burnout

• Limit consecutive long shifts during peak weeks.
• Protect at least one day off each week.
• Schedule breaks and make sure they happen.
• Spread the worst shifts across the team.
• Recognize employees who work the hardest days.

Small gestures, like a holiday meal on shift or a thank-you bonus, go a long way during the busiest weeks.

Holiday Scheduling for Small Teams

With only a handful of employees, every absence matters. Consider shortened holiday hours, closing on the slowest holiday days or the owner covering a shift so employees can take time off. Talk with your team early about who wants which days, and agree on a plan together.

Example: A Small Boutique

A boutique with six employees saw the same two people get Christmas Eve off every year because they asked in January. The owner opened a September request window, set a limit of two people off per day in December and created a rotation based on who worked last year's holidays. She also hired a seasonal part-timer in October and posted the December schedule on November 1. Everyone got at least one of their top holiday choices, and the store was fully staffed on every peak weekend.

Common Mistakes

• Waiting until December to build the holiday schedule.
• First-come, first-served for the most popular days.
• No limits on how many people can be off.
• Hiring seasonal staff too late to train them.
• Ignoring overtime from long holiday shifts.
• Forgetting to announce holiday hours to customers.

Holiday Scheduling Checklist

Holiday Scheduling by Industry

On-Call Coverage Over the Holidays

Businesses that handle emergencies, such as plumbing, HVAC and property management, need on-call coverage even when the office is closed. Build a holiday on-call rotation, publish it early, tell customers how to reach the on-call technician and explain how on-call time and callouts are paid. See on-call policy for hourly employees.

Shift Swaps During the Holidays

Swaps are especially valuable during the holidays, when employees' priorities differ. Make it easy for employees to trade holiday shifts with qualified coworkers, require manager approval and check that swaps don't create overtime or leave a shift without needed skills. See shift swap software.

Skeleton Crews Between Christmas and New Year's

Many offices and service businesses run a skeleton crew during the last week of the year. Decide which roles must be covered, how many people each role needs and what work can wait until January. Rotate skeleton crew duty year to year so the same people aren't always stuck working while everyone else is off.

Holiday Parties and Events

Plan staffing around holiday parties and team events, especially if they happen during business hours. If attendance is required, hourly employees may need to be paid for the time. Schedule parties when coverage is lightest, or hold them after closing. See whether company events are paid time.

Common Questions From Employees

• "Why didn't I get Christmas Eve off when I asked first?" Holiday days use the rotation, not request order.
• "Can I trade my holiday shift?" Yes, with a qualified coworker and manager approval.
• "Do I get extra pay for working the holiday?" It depends on company policy and any state rules.
• "When will the holiday schedule be posted?" By [date], at least four weeks ahead.

Holiday Scheduling Quick Reference

Example: A Small HVAC Company

An HVAC company with eight technicians closed the office for Christmas and New Year's Day but needed emergency coverage throughout the season, when heating calls peak. The owner built a holiday on-call rotation in September, paired each on-call technician with a backup, offered a holiday on-call premium and posted the full rotation on November 1. Technicians traded days among themselves, every emergency call was answered and nobody worked both holidays.

Recognizing Holiday Workers

Employees who work Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve are giving up time with family. Recognize them with a meal, a small bonus, extra PTO or first pick of holidays next year. Recognition makes the rotation feel fair and makes volunteers easier to find next year. See employee recognition ideas.

Holiday Schedules for Multiple Locations

If you run more than one location, set company-wide holiday hours and rules, then let each location build its own schedule within them. Share on-call and floater staff across locations during peak weeks, and compare request windows and approvals so employees at one site aren't treated differently from another. See how to schedule across multiple locations.

After the Holidays

Once the season ends, record who worked each major holiday so next year's rotation is ready. Review overtime, call-outs and customer service during the peak weeks, and note what to change. Then shift into slow season planning so hours drop fairly in January. See slow season scheduling.

Holiday Weekend Patterns

Which weekday each holiday falls on changes how busy the surrounding days are. When Christmas falls on a Friday, the week before is often busier and the following Monday quieter; when it falls midweek, many customers take the whole week off. Check the calendar each year and adjust staffing for the days around each holiday, not just the holiday itself. See business holidays for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Holiday Time Off and PTO Balances

Holiday requests often come from employees trying to use PTO before year-end. Check balances when approving requests, remind employees of carryover rules and plan coverage so people who need to use their time can. See year-end PTO.

Coordinating the PTO reminder and the holiday request window in the same message saves everyone time.

Note the pattern each year so next year's forecast starts from real data.

Communicating the Holiday Plan

Share the full holiday plan in one message: holiday hours, the request window, time-off limits, how the rotation works, how to trade shifts and when schedules will be posted. Post it where everyone can find it and repeat it at team meetings. Clear communication up front prevents most holiday disputes and makes approvals feel fair.

Answer questions quickly so employees can book travel with confidence.

A few minutes of clear communication saves hours of back-and-forth later.

Repeat it often.

Final Thoughts

Holiday scheduling works best when it starts early and follows clear rules. Forecast demand, set holiday hours, open a time-off request window, set limits, rotate the most popular days, ask for volunteers and bring in extra help before the rush. Post schedules four to six weeks ahead, watch overtime and take care of the people who work the hardest days.

Schedule the Holidays With Updoot

Updoot's scheduling lets you build holiday schedules early, see approved time off from the PTO calendar and fill open shifts quickly, while the employee time clock flags overtime before it happens.

Sources

• U.S. DOL: Holidays
• U.S. DOL: Overtime Pay

Frequently Asked Questions