Any fireman or policeman who is employed by a municipality to which the provisions of this Part are applicable and who is required to work during the calendar day on any holiday which is declared by the governing authority of the municipality shall receive, in addition to the compensation to which such employee would be entitled under laws and pay plans now in effect, compensation at a rate of one-half times his usual salary, to be determined by reducing his average monthly salary to an hourly scale. However, in lieu of additional compensation as authorized in this Section, the governing authority of the municipality may grant any such employee time off from work for which the additional compensation would be due and payable. This Section shall not be construed to require a municipality to pay compensation for work on a holiday in excess of one and one-half times the employee's usual salary.
La. R.S. § 33:2589