As we look ahead to the summer holiday season, anticipating those well-earned days off is a given. However, what if we told you that 2027 is looking even better when it comes to maximizing your PTO in California, extending your time out of the office? Yes, please – let’s dive in!
The November schedule hack
As usual, California residents are looking at a genuine 3-day working week in November, with a whopping 4-day weekend on the cards! Thanks to the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, November 25, and California’s official “Day After Thanksgiving” state holiday that always follows on Friday, you’ll only have to work Monday through Wednesday that week. If you want to hack the system, taking just 3 days of annual leave (November 22–24) will give you 9 days off in a row!
The Cesar Chavez Day loophole
What’s more, the spring provides another incredible opportunity to stretch your vacation using a holiday unique to California. In 2027, Cesar Chavez Day (March 31) falls right in the middle of the week on a Wednesday.
Because this is an official state holiday, you can pull off the ultimate spring break hack: by taking just 4 days of annual leave (Monday, March 29, Tuesday, March 30, Thursday, April 1, and Friday, April 2), you will get another 9 consecutive days off from Saturday, March 27, all the way to Sunday, April 4!
Quick note: The California state government dictates that if a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday. However, if a holiday (like Christmas 2027) falls on a Saturday, state employees earn “holiday credit” (an extra floating vacation day) rather than receiving the preceding Friday off. Your employer does not have to give you paid leave on public holidays, but many traditional Monday-to-Friday jobs do.
2027 State and Federal Holidays in California
- January 1 – New Year’s Day
- January 18 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- February 15 – Presidents’ Day
- March 31 – Cesar Chavez Day
- May 31 – Memorial Day
- July 5 – Independence Day (Observed day for Sunday, July 4)
- September 6 – Labor Day
- November 11 – Veterans Day
- November 25 – Thanksgiving Day
- November 26 – Day After Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day falls on a Saturday in 2027 – so the state grants an additional day of “holiday credit” rather than an observed Friday closure.
Book your days off early, be smart, and enjoy those prolonged holidays!
