In the United States, there are 11 federal holidays a year, from New Year’s Day to Christmas Day. The next holiday in the calendar is Labor Day.

In 1882, the first American unions proposed establishing a holiday to honor workers’ contributions to the country, but it was not until 1894 that Congress recognized Labor Day as an official holiday.

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When is Labor Day 2024 celebrated in the USA?

Unlike other countries that celebrate Labor Day on May 1st, The United States celebrates this occasion on the first Monday in September. This year the USA is celebrating Labor Day, which is unofficially considered the last day of summer. on Monday, September 2nd.

Since it is a public holiday, federal offices are legally required to remain closed. Government employees get paid day offOther establishments such as schools, businesses, banks and supermarkets decide for themselves whether to close or not. Many companies grant their employees paid leave on this day.

Normally Banks, post offices, stock exchanges and schools are closed for companies on Labor Day, but pharmacies and restaurants are not. Most supermarkets remain open. In the case of Costco, all stores nationwide will be closed on September 2nd.

After Labor Day, the following holidays remain this year:

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Why is Labor Day celebrated in September and not on May 1st?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, it is not entirely clear who first proposed holding Labor Day in September, but there are several theories about the reasons for celebrating this month.

Some sources suggest that Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday in 1882 when he was secretary of the New York Central Labor Union. Others argue that Peter J. Mcguire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, proposed a holiday for the working class in 1882.

The first celebration of Labor Day was the Labor Day Parade on September 5, 1882 in New York City. Its origins lie in the desire of the Central Labor Union and other unions to create a holiday for workers.

In 1894, President Grover Cleveland declared it a federal holiday. Labor Day was set on the first Monday in September, supposedly because it was considered a more politically neutral date than May 1st. whose origins go back to the Haymarket riots.

Some sources indicate that Labor Day was introduced in September so as not to reinforce the “revolutionary and socialist character” of the origin of the commemoration. Another theory as to why the day is celebrated in September in the United States is that it shorten the long gap which existed between July 4th and Thanksgiving.