Definition of a Federal Observance
Federal observances differ from Federal holidays in that Federal employees only receive a day free from work on holidays, not observances. Federal observances that are designated by Congress appear in Title 36 of the United States Code (36 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.). Below is a list of all observances so designated. Note that not all of the laws below require that the observance be declared, in some cases, such as 36 U.S.C. § 114, Congress simply requested the President to issue a proclamation of the observance.
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Example List of Day observances
- Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day (First Saturday after Labor Day) - 36 U.S.C. § 104
- Child Health Day (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Monday in October as Child Health Day) - 36 U.S.C. § 105
- Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (September 17) - 36 U.S.C. § 106
- Columbus Day: (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the second Monday in October as Columbus Day.) - 36 U.S.C. § 107
- Law Day:, U.S.A. (May 1) 36 U.S.C. § 113
- Leif Erikson Day: (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating October 9 as Leif Erikson Day.) 36 U.S.C. § 114
- Loyalty Day: (May 1) 36 U.S.C. § 115
- National Aviation Day: (August 19) 36 U.S.C. § 118
- National Defense Transportation Day: (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the third Friday in May as National Defense Transportation Day.) 36 U.S.C. § 120
- National Freedom Day: (February 1) 36 U.S.C. § 124
- National Grandparents' Day: (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Sunday in September after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day.) 36 U.S.C. § 125
- National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day: (July 27 of each year until 2003) 36 U.S.C. § 127
- National Maritime Day: (May 22) 36 U.S.C. § 128
- National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: (December 7) 36 U.S.C. § 129
- Pan American Aviation Day: (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating December 17 as Pan American Aviation Day.) 36 U.S.C. § 134
- Peace Officers Memorial Day: (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of Federal, State, and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.) 36 U.S.C. § 136
- Stephen Foster Memorial Day: (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating January 13 Stephen Foster Memorial Day.) 36 U.S.C. § 140
- Thomas Jefferson's birthday: (April 13) 36 U.S.C. § 141
- White Cane Safety Day: (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating October 15 as White Cane Safety Day.) 36 U.S.C. § 142
- Wright Brothers Day: (December 17) 36 U.S.C. § 143
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Weeks
Constitution Week
National Flag Week
National Forest Products Week
National Poison Prevention Week
National Safe Boating Week
National School Lunch Week
National Transportation Week
Police Week
Save Your Vision Week
National Friendship Week
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Months
- American Heart Month: (February) 36 U.S.C. § 101
- National Nutrition Month: (March)
- Women's History Month: (March)
- Cancer Control Month: (April) 36 U.S.C. § 103
- Child Abuse Prevention Month: (April)
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: (May) 36 U.S.C. § 102
- Steelmark Month: (May) - honors the steel industry 36 U.S.C. § 139
- Gay and Lesbian Pride Month (June)
- National Hispanic Heritage Month: (September 15 through October 15) 36 U.S.C. § 126
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month: (October)
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month: (October) 36 U.S.C. § 121
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Other
- Honor America Days: - The 21 days from Flag Day through Independence Day. 36 U.S.C. § 112
