A legal holiday is a day, such as Independence Day or Thanksgiving, on which government employees receive a paid day off or extra pay if they work on that day. While legal holidays do not apply to private employers, many of them offer paid holidays as a perk for full-time or salaried workers. All states are required to observe federally recognized legal holidays, but some states have some legal holidays of their own.
Legal Holidays in North Dakota at a Glance
In addition to federally recognized legal holidays, the state of North Dakota also recognizes Good Friday (the Friday before Easter Sunday), while state offices close at 12:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve (December 24). If you are eligible for holiday pay or a paid day off but were not paid properly, you should start by talking to your employer. If the dispute remains, follow the instructions outlined by the North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights' Wage Claim Process page.
The following chart lists North Dakota's legally recognized holidays, with links to additional resources. See FindLaw's Wages and Benefits section to learn more.
| Code Section | 1-03-01, 01.1 |
| Holidays | New Year's Day (January 1); Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday (third Monday of January); Washington's Birthday (third Monday of February); Good Friday (two days before Easter Sunday); Memorial Day (last Monday of May); Independence Day (July 4th); Labor Day (first Monday of September); Veterans Day (November 11th); Thanksgiving (last Thursday of November); Christmas (December 25th); state offices close at noon on Christmas Eve (December 24th) Â |
| When a Holiday Falls on a Weekend | If January 1, July 4, November 11, or December 25 fall upon a Sunday, the Monday following shall be the holiday. If any of the holidays fall on a Saturday, the Friday immediately before shall be the holiday. |
| Misc. | Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent the holding of legislative sessions or the taking of final action on any legislative matter upon any of such holidays other than Sunday. Any action heretofore taken upon any legislative matter upon any such holiday is valid and legal for all purposes. Â |
Note: State laws are not carved in stone and may change at any time through a number of different means, usually when signed legislation is enacted into law. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of these pages, you also may want to contact a North Dakota labor law attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
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North Dakota Legal Holiday Laws: Related Resources
