Legal Holidays

• Author: Richard Leiter
• Pages: 295-300

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The diversity of our country is reflected in the various holidays recognized by the individual states. While many holidays, including New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day, are considered legal holidays in all states, others, such as Good Friday and Robert E. Lee’s Birthday, are recognized in only a handful, while a few are particular to only one state, for example Alaska Day and Pioneer Day.

The recognition of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday has sparked a great deal of controversy. In some of the states where it is recognized, it is not a paid holiday for state employees.

Due to the myriad local holidays in the states, only the major holidays are featured below for comparison.

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Table 19: Legal Holidays
State	Code Section	Holidays
ALABAMA	1-3-8	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; Mardi Gras (Mobile & Baldwin Counties only); Washington’s and Jefferson’s Birthday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Fraternal Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Jefferson Davis’ Birthday; Confederate Memorial Day; Robert E. Lee’s Birthday; American Indian Heritage Day
ALASKA	44.12.010	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; President’s Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Alaska Day; Seward’s Day
ARIZONA	1-301	New Year’s Day; President’s Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; Mother’s Day; Father’s Day; American Family Day; Constitution Commemoration Day
ARKANSAS	1-5-101	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s and Robert E. Lee’s Birthday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve; Christmas; employee’s birthday; Washington’s birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day
CALIFORNIA	Gov. Code §6700 §19853 State Employees	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; President’s Day; Good Friday; Admission Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Cesar Chavez Day
COLORADO	24-11-101	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; Washington-Lincoln Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Labor Day
CONNECTICUT	§1-4	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; Lincoln’s Birthday; Washington’s Birthday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas
DELAWARE	Tit. 1 §501	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; President’s Day; Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Day of biennial general elections; Friday following Thanksgiving
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	§28-2701	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; Washington’s Birthday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas
FLORIDA	110.117; 683.01; legal holidays-public holidays	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; friday after Thanksgiving; Christmas. Following are official holidays but not paid days off for state employees: Robert E. Lee’s Birthday; Lincoln’s Birthday; Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday; Washington’s Birthday; Shrove Tuesday; Good Friday; Pascua Florida Day; Confederate Memorial Day; Jefferson Davis’s Birthday; Columbus Day; Flag Day; Veterans Day
GEORGIA	1-4-1; Ga. Gov. Memos dated 10/18/90 and 10/16/91	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Friday after Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve; Christmas; Confederate Memorial Day; Washington’s Birthday is holiday but paid day off is taken by state employees at Christmastime; Friday after Thanksgiving is designated as paid day off in honor of Robert E. Lee’s Birthday

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State	Code Section	Holidays
HAWAII	8-1	New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday; President’s Day; Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Veterans Day;

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