Federal Holidays in the USA
The chart below shows a list of federal -or national- holidays observed in the USA. Federal holidays in the USA are defined in the Federal Law (5 U.S.C. 6103).
Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, Flag Day and Halloween are not official holidays but are celebrated across America but no paid day off is given for these days.
| Name of holiday |
Date |
Notes |
|
| New Year's Day |
January 1 |
The beginning of the new year in the Gregorian calendar. |
|
| Martin Luther King Jr.Day |
3rd Monday in January |
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. |
| Inauguration Day * |
January 20 |
Every fourth year following a presidential election (2009, 2013, 2017. etc) |
| Washington's Birthday or Presidents Day |
3rd Monay in February |
Honors George Washington and other American Presidents |
| Memorial Day or Decoration Day |
Last Monday in May |
Remembering soldiers who died in the American Civil War |
| Independence Day |
July 4 |
Anniversary date of the Declaration of Independence. |
| Labor Day |
1st Monday in September |
Celebrating workers and their achievements across the country. |
| Columbus Day |
2nd Monday in October |
Remembering Christopher Columbus who first arrived to America on October 12, 1492 |
| Veterans Day or Armistice Day |
November 11 |
Honors the veterans of the United States Armed Forces who fought for their country. |
| Thanksgiving |
4th Thursday in November |
A day to give thanks for what we have (and time for lots of football games!) |
| Christmas Day |
December 25 |
Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Catholic religion. |
* Inauguration day is the swearing-in of the President of the United States. This holiday is observed only in Washington DC, and a few other areas such as Maryland and Virginia to relieve congestion on this day. (This day is observed on January 21 if the 20th is a Sunday)
What is a federal holiday in the USA?
A federal holiday in the United States is a day recognized by the Federal Government as a paid vacation day. There are 10 such federal holidays in the USA.
On national federal holidays (sometimes referred to as public holidays or national holidays) all federal offices including banks and the stock exchange are closed. Employees by law are required to take the day off and get full salary for the day. If the employee, for some reason, is required to work on a holiday then he or she is entitled to holiday pay on top of the regular wages or sometimes they are given another day off.
If a federal holiday in the USA falls on a Saturday the day off is usually a Friday, if the holidays falls on a Sunday then generally Monday will be given as a day off.
More About Federal Holidays
The United States government can only recognize holidays for federal government employees. Each state has the right to determine of their own holidays, however, it is not often that a local jurisdiction overrides a holiday prescribed by federal law.
Most holidays commemorate events related to the history of the United States with the exception of New Year's Day and Christmas Day.
The summer holiday season is often referred to as a period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Similarly, the winter holiday season runs from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day.
Other notable days in the United States are Super Tuesday, Super Bowl Sunday, Tax Day and Black Friday.
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