Company Blog


When Is Labor Day?

August 22, 2013

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. Even though Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday in 1887, it didn't become a federal holiday until 1894 when the United States Congress unanimously voted to approve legislation to make it a national holiday, following the deaths of about 30 workers at the hands of the US military during the Pullman Strike. President Grover Cleveland signed it into law less than a week after the end of the strike.

The purpose of Labor Day is to celebrate the economic and social contributions of workers. Ironically, Labor Day has become an important sale weekend for many retailers in the United States wanting to take advantage of large numbers of potential customers free to shop. Some retailers claim it is one of the largest sale dates of the year, second only to the Christmas season's Black Friday.

Need to find your next day off? Check our handy business holiday calendar.