US Federal Holidays 2020: When are they and how many do you get this year?
With October here, it means fall has finally arrived as well.
In addition to changing temperatures and leaves, the beginning of the colder months also means Americans are closer to the seventh federal holiday of the year - Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
On October 12, some Americans will celebrate the day that Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492. However, a growing number of Americans will instead observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which celebrates and honours Native Americans and their histories.
Federal holidays, often observed with paid time off from work, were created by Congress in 1885 when it was decided that federal employees should have certain days off from work.
As time went by, Congress added historical days of significance to the list of federal holidays, bringing the total number to 10.
To ensure that government employees were able to celebrate these days, the government enacted certain guidelines for observing federal holidays.
Federal holidays that fall on a Saturday are observed by federal employees on the previous Friday, whereas holidays that fall on Sunday are observed the following Monday.
On these days, non-essential federal government offices are closed and banks, post offices and schools may also be closed.
For employees in the private sector, federal holidays may or may not mean a day off – as businesses cannot legally be required to observe the holiday. Fortunately, most employers will give employees the day off for certain federal holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas – or pay employees extra for working on the day.
Whether you plan to book a vacation during a long weekend or are simply looking forward to the next day off from work, these are the dates of federal holidays in 2020.
2020 federal holidays:
New Year’s Day: Wednesday, January 1
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr: Monday, January 20
President’s Day: Monday, February 17
Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
Independence Day: Saturday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, September 7
Columbus Day: Monday, October 12
Veterans' Day: Wednesday, November 11
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26
Christmas: Friday, December 25
Other important days to note:
Valentine’s Day: Friday, February 14
St Patrick’s Day: Tuesday, March 17
Good Friday: Friday, April 10
Easter: Sunday, April 12
Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 10
Father’s Day: Sunday, June 21
Halloween: Saturday, October 31
