Family Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Family Day is the name of a statutory holiday in Israel and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and a public holiday in South Africa.
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[edit] Alberta
It is celebrated on the third Monday in February each year. The holiday was first celebrated in 1990. Alberta was the only province in Canada to have a statutory holiday in February, until it was proposed in Saskatchewan beginning in 2007.
The holiday was proclaimed by Alberta Premier Don Getty, in response to a drug scandal involving his son, Dale Getty, who had been arrested for possession of cocaine and was revealed to have cocaine addiction. Premier Getty was obviously embarrassed by the revelation and admitted publicly that he had neglected his family, saying that it was also important for all Albertans to take more care with their families.
Getty came in for considerable criticism at the time. Many people felt he had abused his position to compensate for his feelings of guilt with respect to his own family. Also, many employers felt that an additional statutory holiday was an unnecessary fiscal burden. In response to the criticism, the August holiday (Heritage Day) was downgraded to a civic holiday, meaning employers no longer have to offer holiday pay that day if they take Family Day off.
Businesses are not legally required to pay holiday pay on Family Day. An employer can explicitly choose to not pay holiday pay on Family Day, in which case it must pay holiday pay on Heritage Day. Provincial government employees have both days off.
Family Day in 2007 is celebrated on February 19.
[edit] Israel
[edit] Saskatchewan
In October 2006, Saskatchewan's premier proposed the holiday for this province beginning in 2007.[1] A bill titled The Labour Standards Amendment Act, 2006 was introduced in the legislature on November 1, 2006 and received Royal Assent on December 6.[2] The act officially declares the third Monday of each February Family Day and came into effect immediately.[3] The first Family Day in Saskatchewan is February 19, 2007. The over-all effect in annual days off remains unchanged for many as Easter Monday is no longer considered a holiday by private businesses. Business suggested it might cost them as much as $140 Million a year for this 'new' holiday and has requested tax breaks to soften the economic impact. The Saskatchewan government has given $95-million corporate tax cuts but most of the companies benefiting have 'adjusted' the official days off such that the annual allotment remains exactly the same.[citation needed]
[edit] Manitoba
In February 2007, it was reported on CTV news that the Manitoba government is considering legislation later this year for a Family Day in Manitoba. If it passes, the first Manitoba Family Day could be in 2008.
[edit] South Africa
After 1995 Easter Monday was renamed Family Day.[4] In 2007 it will be observed on 2007-04-09.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Saskatchewan plans a new paid holiday called Family Day. Retrieved on November 23, 2006.
- ^ Progress of Bills in the Saskatchewan Legislature. Retrieved on January 3, 2007.
- ^ The Labour Standards Amendment Act, 2006 (PDF). Retrieved on January 3, 2007.
- ^ Public Holidays Act, 1994 (36) (PDF) (1994-12-07). Retrieved on April 5, 2006.
- ^ About Sa - Public Holidays (2006-03-28). Retrieved on April 5, 2006.
