New Jersey Legal Holidays Laws
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
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Once we join the workforce, most of us can kiss the long summer and winter breaks of our youth goodbye. Without school breaks, legal holidays are probably the closest thing we have to vacation, without taking a pay cut or dipping into our precious sick/vacation days.
Legal holidays are days set aside for national observances and certain religious celebrations that have a wide cultural significance (such as Christmas, for example). Depending on your job position and status, if you work on a legal holiday, you may be entitled to receive additional holiday pay (usually time and one-half).
Many states have legal holidays that reflect their unique history and culture. For example, California celebrates Cesar Chavez Day in honor of the labor leader and civil rights activist. New Jersey, on the other hand, only observes national legal holidays, such as Veterans' Day. The state does, however, designate general election days as legal holidays.
The following table lists the legal holidays observed in the state of New Jersey.
HOLIDAY |
DATE |
New Year’s Day |
January 1 |
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day |
(3rd Monday in January) |
Lincoln Day |
February 12 |
President’s Day (Washington’s Birthday) |
(3rd Monday in February) |
Good Friday |
|
Memorial Day |
(last Monday of May) |
Independence Day |
July 4 |
Labor Day |
(1st Monday in September) |
Columbus Day |
(2nd Monday in October) |
Veterans Day |
November 11 |
Thanksgiving Day |
(4th Thursday in November) |
Christmas Day |
December 25 |
General Election Days |
|
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- contact an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
Need to File a Wage and Hour Claim?
If your employer has failed to provide you with a paid day off in accordance with state law or your employment contract, you may have a valid claim for back wages and other damages. Contact the New Jersey Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division for more information.
More Information
For more information, in general, you may want to check out FindLaw's Wages and Benefits section to learn more. The links below will also bring you to additional information and resources relating to New Jersey’s laws regarding legal holidays. Finally, if you are in need of legal assistance or advice, consider consulting or retaining a local employment law attorney.
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- New Jersey Law
- Official State Codes - Links to the official online statutes (laws) in all 50 states and DC.
New Jersey Legal Holidays Laws: Related Resources
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