Among Friends

[GAQShopr53]

When I worked for the government it was a holiday but for some reason this year I almost forgot about Columbus Day. Perhaps as so many have already stated the day is not recognized as a holiday for many companies. OR that there have been so many promotions for Christmas in July I just forgot about all of the other celebrated holidays in between.

[Kachina624]

---

@NickNack wrote:

---

@Kachina624 wrote:

---

@rms1954 wrote:

We know who we have to thank for that.

---

@rms1954.  Who?

---

I Googled it and still have no idea who she would mean.  It seems that there are several states that have changed the name to different things.  It doesn't seem to have anything to do with any particular person's influence.

---

@NickNack. Exactly!  So I'd still like to know to whom @Imtep it's referring.  New Mexico, with a large Native population, is one of those who've changed the name of the holiday.  We have our state legislature to thank.

[Sage04]

It doesn´t matter what it´s called. The schools in Gwinnett County are closed for Fall break from today and school starts on Tuesday. We don´t usually get Fall break so the children are happy, My sister and her daughtet and son will be going on a Disney Cruise starting Friday and returning on Monday.

[denisemb]

I'm retired and am giving myself the day off.

(Like that's different from any other day...)

[ninjawife]

I work in a school district and I don't have off for Columbus day but I do have off for the Jewish Holidays.  A few years ago I worked in another school district same state that had Columbus day off but nit the Jewish Holidays.  Either way I don't get paid for holidays as I am a contractor and only get paid the days I work, no vacation or sick time.

[mspatmac]

My company didn't close but we had it as a paid floating holiday.  

[FlyersGirl]

I worked for a company that reduced our paid holidays to 6 : New Years day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas day. @chrystaltree , you only get 5? What did they take away from these core days? 

We lost Presidents Day, Veterans Day, and Day after Thanksgiving within the past 10 years. Many many years ago they took away MLK day and Good Friday and Columbus Day, but they were replaced with 3 extra personal days. 

[mimomof4]

The only time I had Columbus day off was when I supported a bank so we had all government holidays off.  Most near me don't have this day off

[Mj12]

Columbus Day IS a holiday for the federal workforce and the military. No mail delivery on Monday.

My firm (private) however, is open.

[Witchy Woman]

@chrystaltree 

As a former Federal employee, I got the day off.  I thought it was silly, but, Congress decides what holidays are Federal and when they are celebrated.

From Office of Personnel Management's Website:

Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the public holidays  for Federal employees. Please note that most Federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule. For these employees, when a holiday falls on a nonworkday -- Saturday or Sunday -- the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).

Columbus Day is one of ten federal holidays recognized nationwide by the United States Government. All non-essential federal government offices are closed on Columbus Day, and all Federal employees are paid even if they receive the day off. Many private-sector employees will also receive paid time off or special holiday pay on Columbus Day.

Columbus day commemorates the arrival of the Christopher Columbus in the Americas. It is celebrated every second Monday of October, and has been a Federal holiday since 1937.

2019 Holiday Schedule

Tuesday, January 1 - New Year’s Day
Monday, January 21 -Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 18* - Washington’s Birthday
Monday, May 27 - Memorial Day
Thursday, July 4 - Independence Day
Monday, September 2 - Labor Day
Monday, October 14 - Columbus Day
Monday, November 11 - Veterans Day
Thursday, November 28 - Thanksgiving Day
Wednesday, December 25 -Christmas Day

*This holiday is designated as "Washington’s Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees.

Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.