Federal holiday
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the United States, a Federal holiday is a holiday recognized by the United States Government. Non-essential federal government offices are closed. Banks are generally closed as well. All federal employees are paid for the holiday; those who are required to work on the holiday receive wages for that day in addition to holiday pay.
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[edit] List of Holidays
Federal holidays are designated by Congress in Title V of the United States Code (5 U.S.C. § 6103).[1]
The eleven recognized Federal holidays are:
| Date | Official Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Celebrates beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. Festivities include countdowns to midnight (12:00 AM). |
| Third Monday in January | Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. | Honors Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights leader; combined with other holidays in several states (traditionally January 15) |
| January 20, every fourth year, following Presidential election | Inauguration Day | Swearing-in of President of the United States and other elected federal officials. Observed only by federal government employees in Washington, D.C., and certain counties and cities of Maryland and Virginia, in order to relieve congestion that occurs with this major event. Note: Takes place on January 21 if the 20th is a Sunday (although the President is still privately inaugurated on the 20th). |
| Third Monday in February | Washington's Birthday | Honors George Washington. Often popularly observed as "Presidents Day" in recognition of other American presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln, born February 12. |
| Last Monday in May | Memorial Day | Honors the nation's war dead; unofficially marks the beginning of summer. (traditionally May 30) |
| July 4 | Independence Day | Celebrates Declaration of Independence, usually called the Fourth of July. |
| First Monday in September | Labor Day | Celebrate achievements of workers and the labor movement; unofficially marks the end of summer and the return to school for students in most parts of the United States. |
| Second Monday in October | Columbus Day | Honors Christopher Columbus, traditional discoverer of the Americas. In some areas it is also a celebration of Italian culture and heritage. (traditionally October 12) |
| November 11 | Veterans Day | Honors all veterans of the United States armed forces. |
| Fourth Thursday in November | Thanksgiving Day | Traditionally celebrates giving thanks for the autumn harvest, and customarily includes the consumption of a turkey dinner. |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Celebrates the Nativity of Jesus which is traditionally observed on 25 December. Secular aspects of this holiday include giving gifts and decorating a Christmas tree. |
- Federal Holidays Calendars from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
The official names came from the laws that defines holidays for federal employees. The "Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr." holiday is commonly called "Martin Luther King Day", and the "Washington's Birthday" holiday is commonly called "Presidents' Day". Independence Day is often called "The 4th of July".
New Year's Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and Christmas Day are observed on the same calendar date each year, unless one falls on a weekend. Holidays that fall on a Saturday are observed on the previous Friday, and those that fall on a Sunday are observed the following Monday. The other holidays always fall on a particular day of the week.
Federal law does not compel states to recognize these days in any way. Most states do use the same holidays, however, for their employees as well as their public schools. Neither does the federal government recognize state and local holidays, although some offices may close as circumstances dictate.
Neither are private employers required to observe them, although many businesses will close at least for New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
[edit] Public holidays due to Presidential Proclamation
Federal law also provides for the declaration of other public holidays by the President of the United States. Generally the president will provide a reasoning behind the elevation of the day, and call on the people of the United States to observe the day "with appropriate ceremonies and activities." However, there is no requirement that business or government close on these days, and many members of the general public may not be aware that such holidays even exist. Holidays proclaimed in this way may be considered "national" holidays, but are not "federal" holidays.
For example, by Executive Order, President George W. Bush declared January 2, 2007 a "National Day of Mourning" in honor of former President Gerald Ford and ordered all executive departments, independent establishments, and other governmental agencies closed. This did not apply to governmental agencies that should remain open for reasons of national security or defense or other essential public business.
[edit] Controversy
Some people have objected to honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. or Christopher Columbus with holidays. As a result, Martin Luther King Day took several years to gain national acceptance and was renamed Human Rights Day in some locations. Some public schools in the US name the break given around Christmas as "Winter Holiday" or "Winter Break", to avoid the implication that all students are obligated to observe Christian holidays. All these days remain holidays for federal workers in those states.
