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Tweet[IWS] CRS: FEDERAL HOLIDAYS: EVOLUTION AND CURRENT PRACTICES [9 May 2014]
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Institute for Workplace Studies-----------------Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
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Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current Practices
Jacob R. Straus,Analyst on the Congress
May 9, 2014
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41990.pdf
[full-text, 13 pages]
Summary
The United States has established the following 11 permanent federal holidays established by law,
listed in the order they appear in the calendar: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday,
Inauguration Day (every four years following a presidential election), George Washington’s
Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day,
Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Although frequently called public or national holidays,
these celebrations are only legally applicable to federal employees and the District of Columbia,
as the states individually decide their own legal holidays.
The first four congressionally designated federal holidays were created in 1870, when Congress
granted paid time off to federal workers in the District of Columbia for New Year’s Day,
Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 1880, George Washington’s
Birthday was included. In 1885, Congress extended holiday coverage for some holidays to all
federal employees. Although Thanksgiving Day was included in the first holiday bill of 1870, it
was not until 1941 that Congress specifically designated the fourth Thursday of November as the
official date.
Since 1888, Congress has added six federal holidays, creating Decoration Day (now Memorial
Day) in 1888, Labor Day in 1894, Armistice Day (now Veterans Day) in 1938, Inauguration Day
in 1957 (quadrennially and only celebrated in the District of Columbia), Columbus Day in 1968,
and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday in 1983. In 1954, Armistice Day was broadened to honor
Americans who fought in World War II and the Korean conflict, and the name of the holiday was
changed to Veterans Day.
In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was enacted to “provide for uniform annual
observances” of Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. Additionally, the
Monday Holiday Law established Columbus Day to be celebrated on the second Monday in 1975,
Veterans Day celebrations were returned to November 11 by Congress.
Contents
Creation of Federal Holidays ........................................................................................................... 1
New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day .......................... 1
Washington’s Birthday .............................................................................................................. 2
Decoration Day/Memorial Day ................................................................................................. 2
Labor Day .................................................................................................................................. 3
Armistice Day/Veterans Day ..................................................................................................... 3
Thanksgiving Day ..................................................................................................................... 4
Inauguration Day ....................................................................................................................... 5
Columbus Day ........................................................................................................................... 6
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. ........................................................................................... 6
Uniform Monday Holiday Act ................................................................................................... 7
Federal Holidays and Employee Pay ............................................................................................... 8
Recent Holiday Legislation ............................................................................................................. 9
Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 10
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